There and Back Again
by ZoryaEvenstar
Summary: Being half of a dyad is tough when your other half is lollygagging mostly dead between worlds. This not acceptable to Rey and she's going to do something about it. Slow Reylo development. Post TROS. Some humor, some adventure, some romance. A few interesting OC's. A hell of a lot of cultural references because they're fun. Not precisely canon, but in waving distance of it.
1. Chapter 1: Kylo Goes There and Back Agai

There and Back Again

_The Force, _thought Rey, _is a real jerk sometimes._

It's been six months since she and Kylo/Ben/whatever the hell he was calling himself had gone up against and actually defeated Palpatine. Or Darth Sidious. Choose whichever name including "overpowered nasty dude."

And while defeating said darksider she died. And then she un-died. And Kylo/Ben was there and she kissed him and he smiled and then _he_ died.

And that's when she found out that being part of a dyad meant you felt like you were walking around with half a soul if your other half died. It was intolerable.

Well, she wasn't the type of person to sit around moaning about the injustice of it all. One way or another, she was getting her other half back. Or die trying. Which yeah, dying sucks when you are still young but on the plus side she would be back together with her other half.

This would take some research and planning. After all, you just can't stroll into the afterlife and demand restoration. What to do, how to do it and the best location to be while doing what would be a major Force working needed to be determined. And that took time with the dusty, moth eaten, sacred, and nearly unreadable Jedi texts.

This added another two months to the separation and by the time she found herself in the Jedi Temple on Ahch-To she was antsy and nearly vibrating with impatience.

Her plan was simple - sort of. Find the spot half way between the Light and Dark power wells (which was next to the meditation stone where Luke projected his essence to Crait - big surprise). Go into deep meditation until she found the edge between her part of the dyad and the missing part. Hopefully it was still between worlds and not subsumed into the Force. Gently pull {or maybe tug really hard) until she pulled Kylo/Ben back across to her. Okay, laid out like that it sounds a bit nuts, but she's out of ideas and she's desperate.

Ok. She's at the optimum spot on Ahch-To (with a comfy pillow. The stone floor is hard and freaking cold). She's meditating and getting really deep into the Force. Aaand there's the edge to her half of the dyad. Time to gently pull. And of course, doesn't budge. So she pulls harder. And harder still. It's a contest between the Force and the scavenger from Jakku. Rey isn't planning to give up on this so the Force says (figuratively) 'Right then if you really want him you can have him.'

One final gigantic heave and Rey finds herself falling backwards when the pressure stops. Her head hits the floor with a crack. She lies there dazed for a moment, head aching, wondering if she succeeded or failed.

Off to the side she hears a voice moan "Owwwwwh! Bloody hell! I feel like I've been pulled through a knothole backwards."

"I'm not sure what a knothole is but I think I feel the same way." Rey groans. She looks to her left and sees Kylo/Ben stretched out on the floor, right arm over his eyes. He's still (thank the gods) in the clothes he was wearing at Exegol - dirty, bloody, torn, with a burnt hole the size of a light saber blade in his sweater.

Kylo/Ben moves his arm, slowly opens his eyes and looks over at Rey and says "Would it be too much to ask where I am and what just happened?'

"Okay, let me explain." she stops and thinks. "No, that will take too long. Let me sum up. We're on Ahch-To, where your uncle was hiding out for gods know how long. We fought Palpatine on the Sith planet Exegol and in the process I was killed. You brought me back to life and died. And being half of a dyad when the other half is dead really, really sucks so I tried to bring you back. Looks like it worked."

"Argh, too many words." Kylo/Ben puts his arm across his eyes again. "You can sum up for me again after the drums stop beating in my head."

"Do you think you're up to walking? I've got the Millennial Falcon parked nearby."

"Give me a few minutes. The room is still spinning."

"Okay. By the way, should I call you Kylo or Ben?"

"Let's stick with Kylo for now. I'm used to it."


	2. Chapter 2: Rey Sums Up

Rey and Kylo stagger up the ramp into the dry interior of the Falcon. They collapse on the benches around the Dejarik table.

"I thought you said the Falcon was parked nearby," griped Kylo as he leaned his head back against the wall, eyes closed. "Nearby doesn't normally include a stroll down 999 crudely cut into a shear cliff stone steps during a thunderstorm." He cracks open an eye and glares at her. "Though the lightning did help to illuminate the potential fall to the rocks and waves below that I just _barely_ missed taking multiple times."

"This as close as it gets," Rey muttered. She crossed her arms on the Dejarik table and flopped her head down on them. "We made it down and we're relatively safe in the Falcon. Quit grumbling."

"I went from floating in the Force to lying on a cold stone floor, in pain, and then risked my life climbing down to the hunk of junk my father called a ship. I'm wet, cold and dressed in a dirty, bloody, torn First Order uniform. I smell like sulphur and other odors I'm not going to attempt to describe. Who's griping?"

"You are." replied Rey. "Can you find the fresher? There's clean clothing in there for you. And hurry up if you don't mind because I'm wet and cold too."

A short while later they are both cleaned up and warming up in the galley with cups of hot chai.

"So let me see if I got this straight," said Kylo. "We fought Palpatine, you died, I brought you back to life, I died and you've been trying to bring me back for the last 8 months."

"Yes. Though I would like to point out that the dyad Force bond made you mostly dead instead of completely dead."

"What's the difference?" asked Kylo.

"Mostly dead means you're slightly alive. Completely dead means I can check for a wallet and steal your watch."

Kylo closed his eyes for a 10 count to regain his composure.

"And you did this why?"

"Well, as best as I could discover from the _skimpy_ information available on the subject, the two members of a dyad need to be both alive or both dead." replied Rey. "If one is alive and one is dead then it puts incredible stress on the alive member."

"And you didn't have a particular desire to die."

"No, I'm not really suicidal."

"So what are your plans now that I am back from the dead -"

"Mostly dead," interrupted Rey.

"Mostly dead," agreed Kylo with a sigh.

"I'm not really sure," confessed Rey."

"At this point I'm not sure if I'm impressed or appalled."

"Go with impressed. It's less painful."

"By the way, should I ask where you found a First Order Supreme Leader uniform that fits me perfectly?"

"I'm a scavenger Kylo. Do you really want to know?"

"No, no. I think I'm fine."


	3. Chapter 3:Waiting Out the Storm

A short time later Kylo and Rey move into the cockpit of the Falcon. Gale force winds are blowing, along with heavy rain and the rattle of hail on the hull.

"Looks like your tug-of-war with the Force really stirred things up" said Kylo, impressed. "Though it appears that we are stuck on Ahch-To for a while longer."

"Why?" asks Rey, confused. "If we can travel through space why can't we fly through a bit of a storm?"

"I'm not a meteorologist," replied Kylo, "but I do know it's dangerous to fly through tornados even with a ship in good repair. Which the Falcon isn't. It's been held together with spit and baling wire as far back as I can remember."

"I suppose we can spend the time figuring out what to do when we actually leave."

"This is a wild hare guess on my part, but you had no idea what would happen after you pulled me back from between worlds, did you?"

"To be honest I am rather pleasantly shocked that it worked." Rey said with a smile.

Kylo leaned back in the pilot's seat, hands clasped behind his head. A 10 count isn't long enough this time. After a 20 count with eyes closed and controlled breathing he's ready to rejoin the conversation. He's aware that Rey is watching him anxiously from the co-pilot seat.

"Ok," he says, "Let's stipulate that while you and I are part of a force induced dyad that doesn't necessarily mean that we are joined at the hip. We can go our separate ways if we choose. We have been enemies and we have been frenemies. I can easily see us being friends. I don't think we know each other well enough to take it any further at this point. And no, my restoring your life and you giving me a rather passionate kiss doesn't count as a romantic relationship."

"Agreed." replies Rey, trying really hard not to eyeball his lithe, muscular frame and speculate on passionate kissing and whatnot.

"And since this bucket of bolts belonged to my father, Galactic law would stipulate that it belongs to me. I'll give you a lift to the nearest civilized planet" he added graciously.

"What? No!" yelled Rey. "Han gave it to me! It's mine! If you ask politely I might give you a lift to a civilized planet."

"Do you have ownership papers?" growled Kylo.

"Do you?" retorted Rey. "Besides, possession is nine-tenths of the law."

"Well since we are both on this tub I guess we own it 50/50. So our choices are to fly it to a civilized planet and sell it for whatever we can get, or become partners and figure out how to make money with it, or…"

"Or what?"

"Or duke it out with lightsabers."

"You threw your lightsaber away." Rey reminded him.

" I guess it's sell it or a partnership." replied Kylo with a grin.

Rey thinks about it. For less than a 10 count. Call it a 6.5 count.

"I like the idea of a partnership. she said, "It would be nice to have company."

"Alright, partners then." agreed Kylo.

While they were talking a soft blue light was gradually growing in the cockpit doorway.

Suddenly Kylo felt a Force presence. "Ah hells bells," he griped. "He would decide to show up now." The blue light brightened and resolved into a figure. A figure with messy hair, a scraggly beard, and wrinkled, stained, Jedi robes.

"Master Skywalker!" exclaimed Rey excitedly.

"Hello Uncle Luke." said Kylo sourly.


	4. Chapter 4: Force Ghost Luke isn't Amused

Force Ghost Luke Skywalker stood in the doorway and glowered at Kylo.

"There was a disturbance in the Force." he growled. "Though calling it a disturbance is a massive understatement. Try tsunami. Or hurricane. Or earthquake. Or …"

"We get it!" said Kylo, holding up a hand. "So why are you here?"

"Do you realize the disruptions your actions caused across the physical and metaphysical planes Ben?" yelled Luke.

"Kylo." said Kylo calmly.

"What?"

"My name is Kylo."

"What difference does it make?" asks Luke.

"A hell of a lot, Uncle. Ben is the name I was given, along with a crapload of expectations I wasn't given a choice about fulfilling. Kylo is the name I chose for myself and it's the one I prefer. A little respect would be nice, Uncle."

"Whatever. Your little Force powered temper tantrum…"

"It' wasn't me, Uncle"

"What?"

"Does being a Force Ghost make you hard of hearing? It. Wasn't. Me."

"Well who else would do such a damn fool thing?" asked Luke.

"Me." said Rey, waving her hand. "I needed to get Kylo back after he mostly died at Exegol."

Luke gaped at her, his mouth hanging open in astonishment.

"I didn't know she was that strong." he muttered.

"Strong enough to arm wrestle the Force and win." grinned Kylo. "Really Uncle, if you had bothered to train her when she asked you would have known what she was capable of."

"I knew she was strong, but this? Unbelievable." said Luke.

"Believe it, Master Skywalker." smiled Rey.

"But why? You took a grave risk calling that much power. Why try to bring Be-Kylo back to the physical world?"

"Do you know what a dyad is, Master Skywalker?" she asked.

"Yes, some. They are very rare and not well understood." he answered.

"Kylo and I have the unique opportunity to _personally_ study the dyad link." she smirked.

Luke stared at her and then started muttering under his breath about how the Force can be an asshole.

"Anything else Uncle?" asked Kylo, "The storm is dying down and we want to depart as soon as we can."

"Yes." She can't go with you." declared Luke. "It's not proper."

Kylo and Rey look at him in astonishment. "Come again?" asks Kylo.

"I said it's not proper." reiterated Luke. "She's an inexperienced young woman and you have a debatable reputation."

"What do you think I'm going to do Uncle?" asked Kylo heatedly "Teach her to play the accordion?"

"You know what I mean." growled Luke.

"I have never, ever taken advantage of a woman. I'm a darksider but I'm not a pervert."

"Master Skywalker," Rey interrupted, "I can make my own decision. I believe Kylo to be trustworthy. He's been a perfect gentleman."

"I still have to look out for you." grumbled Luke. "After all, you are my Padawan."

"Oh come off your high horse Uncle. Rey would have done better with a mail order pamphlet titled How to Be a Jedi in Ten Easy Lessons." sneered Kylo.

"Ok, that's enough!" declared Rey. "No more family feud tonight. I've made my decision, and I'm leaving with Kylo when the weather clears. Thank you for your concern Master Skywalker."

"Alright." said Luke. "I'll leave for now." He fixes Kylo with a hard, gimlet glare. "I'll see you around, kid. I'm still keeping my eye one you." With that Luke abruptly disappeared.

"Typical. Uncle Luke always has to have the last word."


	5. Chapter 5: Lets Blow this Popsicle Stand

After Luke leaves Kylo just sits in the pilot seat and glares out at the rapidly dispersing clouds. There are stars twinkling in the firmament as the sky clears. He's not sure what annoys him more, the fact that Luke has to be part of every major Force event or the fact that he's only there to make snarky comments about his least favorite nephew. It's really quite aggravating. He firmly puts Luke and his latest appearance out of his mind and considers their next step.

Rey is still thinking about Luke's complaints about the Force working and is afraid she has seriously screwed something up. She shifts uncomfortably in the copilot seat.

"Hey Rey," Kylo says, "Let's blow this popsicle stand."

"Huh?" she says distractedly. "Sure. Where are we going?"

Kylo points at the sky, "Second star on the right and straight on until morning."

"That doesn't make sense." retorted Rey. She thinks a minute. "Oh, you were making a joke."

"There wasn't much children's literature available on Jakku, was there?"

"No, just whatever we could scavenge from the wrecks in the Ship Graveyard. Technical manuals mostly."

Kylo turns his chair a bit to face her. "I think we should head to Coruscant. Several reasons for that. It's one of the key Core worlds and I'll be able to get a good feel for what has been happening while I was mostly dead. It has a huge population as well as being a major shipping hub. It will be easy to hide in plain sight while we decide our next steps. And most importantly, I have several financial accounts there I can tap into for operating credits. Any objections?"

"No. Coruscant is fine." answered Rey as she yawned. Kylo tilted his head and looked closer at her. She was drooping in her chair and fighting to stay awake. "Sorry. I'm a little tired."

"You're exhausted." Kylo observed. "Not surprising considering the energy you expended in that Force working." He started entering coordinates for Coruscant in the navigation computer. "Help me get the Falcon up and into hyperspace and then go sack out on one of the bunks for a while."

It takes a bit over two hours to get off the planet and into hyperspace. By the time Kylo has the autopilot programed and engaged Rey is falling asleep in the copilot seat. Kylo looks at her and decides that she's in no shape to walk back to the crew quarters. He carefully gathers Rey into his arms and heads out of the cockpit. Rey wakes up enough to protest.

"I can walk." she mutters.

"Humor me." replies Kylo. "I'd rather not watch you stumble along and then face plant on the deck." When he gets to the crew quarters he deposits her on a bunk and covers her with a blanket. "I don't expect to see you for at least 8 hours," he admonishes Rey. She answers with a light snore. He brushes the hair back from her face and wishes her a dreamless sleep.

As Kylo leaves the crew quarters he decides that something alcoholic would be in order to settle the mind and ease jangling nerves. He heads back to the cockpit, sits down in the pilot chair and pushes on a small drawer set into the wall next to his elbow. It pops open and displays his father's hooch stash. Let's see, Corellian whiskey? Nah. That's like drinking Everclear. Bitterfruit liquor? Where did Han get that? Tsiraki? Ugh, no. Corellian brandy? Yeah, there we go. Kylo grabs the bottle and heads to the galley for a glass. Drinking straight from the bottle is a sign of desperation.

As he sets the bottle on the counter he notices a soft blue light forming on the other side. Great, Uncle Luke is back for round 2. However, the light resolves into not Luke, but a different Jedi. This one has short light brown hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and is wearing robes that went out of style at least 30 years ago. Kylo smiles. This Jedi is one he can tolerate. He puts his palms together in front of his chest, bows, and respectfully says "Welcome Master Kenobi."

The figure mirrors the gesture and says "Greetings Master Ren."


	6. Chapter 6: Ben to Ben Tête-à-Tête

Kylo raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Seriously Master Kenobi? I was a Knight of Ren and Snoke's enforcer."  
"Still, you did the work and deserve the rank." said Obi-Wan.

"I appreciate the accolade, Master Kenobi, but Master Luke never confirmed mastery for me before I left his Academy." He shrugged. "Afterwards, he had no reason to consider it."

"Luke allowed his fear of the Dark Side to color his judgement." replied Obi-Wan. "I'm of the opinion that you have earned the rank of Master. Your mastery of the Light and Dark sides of the

Force is undeniable. Masters Yoda and Jinn agree with my assessment. Master Windu gave his qualified agreement also."

"I suspect Master Windu was hesitant because of my extended involvement in the Dark Side." agreed Kylo."Still, I appreciate his vote of confidence, conditional notwithstanding."

"Oh, just take the promotion Kylo. Most likely the title will help you down the line."

Kylo wonders what Obi-Wan knows and how badly the Force is going to screw with him this time.

As they move into the galley Kylo asks "Are you present enough in the physical to share some Corellian brandy with me?" Obi-Wan smiled. "That's one thing I've always liked about you Kylo. You have impeccable manners." Kylo pulls out a couple of glasses and pours a generous amount of the amber liquid in each one. He puts one glass in front of Obi-Wan and lifts the other in salute before he takes a drink. Obi-Wan smiles and returns the salute.

"As much as I enjoy your occasional visits I know this isn't a social call." observes Kylo.

"You still indulge in making blindingly obvious statements Kylo." said Obi-Wan as he sipped his brandy. "May as well tackle the elephant in the room first."

Kylo finishes his glass and pours himself another. This is probably going to be painful. "What do you know about dyad Force bonds Kylo?"

"Not a lot" admits Kylo. "They're rare. I think only one dyad bond has been verified and recorded."

"Yes, Bastila and Revan. And even that is mostly speculation." comments Obi-Wan. "What else?"

"Rey thinks the bond she and I share is a dyad bond." "What do you think?"

"It's possible, but not likely."

"Here's what I know," says Obi-Wan. "The dyad bond is between two Force sensitive individuals and essentially makes them one in the Force. It allows the bonded pair to communicate over vast distances, and allows the pair to know what each is feeling. Eventually the bonded pair may be able to read each other's minds. It also lets the pair see and hear each other regardless of the distance that separates them. If they fight together the bond mirrors and amplifies their Force abilities."

"Damnation." mutters Kylo. "That sounds like our bond. We can also physically touch and pass objects to each other."

"And it's only going to get stronger." replies Obi-Wan. "I hope you have strong mental shields because you two are going to be reading each others thoughts if you don't already."

At this point Kylo is grateful that Rey is sleeping the sleep of the totally exhausted. She's going to have to know eventually, but he wants to kick the can down the road until he finishes getting drunk and sobering up. He puts his elbows on the counter and rests his forehead on his hands. "Please don't tell me it turns into a romantic bond. We barely know each other."

"Well..." drawls Obi-Wan, "I don't know for a fact, but as connected as you two are and will be I wouldn't count it out. Haven't you known each other for nearly a year?"

"Only if 'known each other' includes trying to kill each other with lightsabers whenever we were in the same place." mutters Kylo.

"Don't borrow trouble Kylo. Sufficient unto the day and all that. The bond is what it is, but you two have some control over how it manifests."

Obi-Wan finished his brandy and put the glass back on the counter. "I have to leave soon. I wanted to impart a word or two of advice though. The Force allowed your bondmate -"

"Rey." interjected Kylo. "Her name is Rey." The word 'bondmate' left him a bit unsettled.

"Picky, picky. The Force allowed Rey to pull you back to the physical world. The energy required to do that was incredible. And unprecedented. That suggests that the Force has a purpose for the two of you that required you to return."

"And what would that be?" asked Kylo.

"Not a clue." replied Obi-Wan. "Trust the Force will guide you when necessary."

"That's not very reassuring." complained Kylo.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "The Force moves in mysterious ways. At times irritating, confounding, and bizarre ways. Just roll with it."

Obi-Wan stepped back, put his palms together in front of his chest, bowed and said "Farewell Master Ren. Thank you for your hospitality."

Kylo returned the formal gesture and said "Farewell Master Kenobi. Thank you for your visit."

As Obi-Wan disappeared Kylo turned back to the counter. "Bugger." he said fervently as he poured some more brandy into his glass.


	7. Chapter 7: Clearing the Air

A few hours later Kylo finds himself lying on one of the crew bunks, with a headache, and hearing a rather disapproving voice say "So you thought drinking a whole bottle of Corellian brandy was a good idea?"

"It wasn't a whole bottle," muttered Kylo. "Obi-Wan had some. Keep it down, will you? I'm a bit hung over and the headache isn't helping."

"Really?" says Rey dryly. "Funny thing about a dyad bond, we are a bit connected. As in I have your bloody hangover too." Kylo hears her setting something down on the ledge next to the bunk. "Pain killer. Water. Get cleaned up. You smell like old booze. I'll have coffee ready when you wander out." She turns and flounces out the door.

Kylo groans quietly as he pulls himself upright. This does not bode for a close, comfortable relationship. Perhaps they will both feel more human after he gets a wash up and they both get some really strong coffee. He's feeling a bit grumpy as he heads to the shower. Setting the water to hot, he steps in and starts to clean up. As the water poured over him his brain finally started to come back on line. He knew he and Rey were connected but he didn't think the Force link bled that far into their physical bodies. Talk about intrusive. And inconvenient. Bloody inconsiderate Force. He steps out of the shower and towels off. To shave or not to shave? Admittedly it's a pain in the ass but it only grows properly on and around his upper lip, his chin, and down his neck a bit. He could go for a goatee, but that would make him look like Darth Ren. Or maybe Ming the Merciless. He's more Dark than Light but he's not evil. Looks like Rey made sure there was a razor and shaving soap before she went on her "rescue my dyad partner" mission. Ok, shave it is.

Clean, shaved, dressed (definitely will need to get new clothes at Coruscant), and headache under control he's ready to face a miffed Rey. And damn it, he owes her an apology. He's not good at apologies. That's not a skill set he developed as a Supreme Leader. Well, if this Force bond has them figuratively joined at the hip for the long term it's a talent he will need to learn. He heads over to the galley and as promised, Rey is waiting with coffee. He decides sitting across the counter from her is probably better than sitting next to her.

It's blindingly obvious that Rey is not shielding her thoughts, And she's not happy. Kylo winches. Ouch! She's really not happy. He hopes a sincere apology will suffice.

"Rey, I'm truly sorry. I had no idea that our Force bond would connect us so intimately."

She looks up at him and rolls the word 'intimately' in her head.

"I meant so closely!" clarified Kylo, turning an interesting shade of pink. Rey looks at him for a minute, decides he's sincere and says "Apology accepted."

They sit for a few minutes, slowly drinking their coffee. Finally, Rey asks "What was it like being on the other side? Was it painful for you?"

Kylo sits there and tries to think of a good way to explain such an esoteric experience. "It's hard to put into words." he finally says. "It felt like I was floating in an ocean of liquid Force, but I didn't have an actual body. I knew that I was missing something or someone, but it wasn't anything the Force wanted me to focus on."

"You've heard the saying 'my life flashed before my eyes' haven't you?" Rey nodded. "Well, my life unwound before my eyes over and over again. I saw it as I experienced it at first, and then I saw all the things and people that affected me that I didn't know about. A lot of manipulation that I never saw. How Snope was using me as a damn pain and anger battery to keep his power charged up. And how many times I was willfully ignorant and compliant with the manipulation. It was humbling and humiliating."

Kylo stops for a moment and stares at his coffee cup. He takes a long sip, swallows, and continues. "That was the tearing down process. Then the Force rebuilt me in a sense. Washed away the anger, the pain, the humiliation. I felt more me than I had for a long time. Years. I don't know how long I floated in the Force when I felt you pulling on me. The Force gave me the sense that I had to return to the physical world and let me go."

Rey looks at him. "Would you like to know what it was like for me? she asks. "Painful is a woefully inadequate word for it. When you disappeared into the Force at Exegol I was surprised. And a bit sad. I didn't think a lot about it at first. I was back with my Resistance friends and everyone was happy and celebrating. After about a week I began to think something was wrong. Like something had been sliced away. I started having violent mood swings and vivid nightmares. Paranoia. Hallucinations, or maybe Force visions. And after a few months I started to lose control of my Force abilities. People are hesitant to be around you when your hands are dribbling sparks and tiny lightning bolts."

"So my friends were avoiding me, my controls were shot, and my thoughts were out of control. About 2 months ago I realized I was having a long, heartfelt conversation with my light saber while it was pressed against my chest."

Kylo is not sure what he should do at this point so he just sits and listens.

"I don't know if pulling you back was right or wrong. I just knew that I had to do something. Either pull you back here or die - whatever it took to mend the jagged tear in the bond." She leans forward in her seat, crosses her arms on the counter and sits with her head drooping and eyes closed. Reliving the last 8 months had drained her.

"_Poor kid_," thinks Kylo."_None of this was fair to her._" He feels a flare of anger at the Force for putting her though this, but his mental shields are pretty tight so Rey doesn't catch any of the invective he's thinking. He reaches out and tentatively takes her hand. "No judgement from me." he says.

Rey just sits there and tries to get herself back together. Kylo lets go of her hand, comes around the counter and puts an arm around her shoulders. "I've got you, kiddo. I'm not going anywhere." She leans into his arm and sighs. "Thanks Kylo." she murmurs.

_**Author Notes: Bonus points if you know who Ming the Merciless is without Googling it.**_


	8. Chapter 8: It's Complicated

Rey leans against Kylo another couple of minutes and then pulls away. "I'm going to check our route progress" she says as she scurries to the cockpit. The giddiness she felt from successfully pulling Kylo back to the physical world has been replaced with a feeling of apprehension and caution. On the one hand, he's her Force bondmate. On the other hand, he's Kylo Ren. She wanted Ben Solo. She thought she was getting Ben Solo. She's not sure how to feel about Kylo Ren. Is he still a monster? Is she Force bonded to a monster? She needs time to think! And that means as much physical distance as she can get in the confines of a freighter hurling through hyperspace.

Kylo watches her go, confused by the thoughts she is projecting. They really need to talk about creating a low level shield on her thoughts. He doesn't think she knows her mind is so open to him. It's embarrassingly intimate, and probably something that would mortify her if she knew.

It's obvious she needs some space to think, so Kylo takes the time to rinse out the coffee cups and put them away. Who would have thought the former Supreme Leader of the First Order could be so domestic? He checks the Force bond and sees that Rey may be ready to talk to him, so he grabs a couple of ration bars and heads to the cockpit.

Kylo knocks on the doorframe to the cockpit to get her attention. "I brought some breakfast." He hands her one of the ration bars. He sits down in the copilot chair and looks at her for a minute.

"So what's on your mind?" he asks her. He already has a good idea what's bothering her but he's going to let her tell him.

Rey rubs her hands together nervously, wets her lips and tries to think of how to phrase her concerns. She wants to be honest, but if he's still deeply in the Dark Side she doesn't want him to turn into a psychotic rage gorilla if what she tells him makes him angry. She looks down at her hands and chews on her lower lip.

Finally she says "Kylo, I'm worried. When you fought with me against my grandfather on Exegol I thought I was fighting with Ben Solo. I thought Kylo Ren was gone along with the Dark Side. I thought you had returned to the Light. I don't know what to think now."

She continues to look at her hands. "I'm … afraid." she whispers.

Her fear and pain stab at his heart. For better or worse Rey is his bondmate, and he can't stand to see her this way. What can he say to help her see he is no longer the monster from her nightmares. He takes a deep breath and speaks from his heart.

"When we fought on the wreck of the Death Star on Kef Bir you said that when I offered you my hand in Snoke's throne room you refused me because you wanted Ben. What you wanted was a phantom."

"I still don't understand." said Rey quietly

"Ben was an aspiration. Never a real, flesh and blood person. He was the convenient shell into which his family stuffed their own dreams and ambitions. Senator, General, Jedi - always someone else's vision for me. When I was called Ben I never felt that I could be what they wanted me to be. I was in pain, a disappointment to my parents and my uncle. I knew that they were afraid of my strength in the Force, too strong for a young child to properly control. Snope saw that I was susceptible to manipulation by a friendly, comforting voice that made me feel better about my failures. I listened to his whispers and his lies because no one else would listen to me."

Kylo took her hands and looked into her eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not excusing anything I did. I just can't be Ben for you." Kylo waited for her to process this. If she rejected him would they still be bonded? Did he want the bond to continue? There was a sudden, immediate 'yes!' In his mind.

Rey looked at him for a long moment. "Does this mean you are returning to the Dark side?"

"No!" Said Kylo forcefully, "What it means is I have both the Light and the Dark in me. I'm not two different people. Ben is not pure Light and Kylo is not pure Dark. I am the sum of all my experiences and I choose to call myself Kylo."

He leans forward, holding her hands tightly. "You and the Force have given me a chance to be a better person. Someone who isn't torn apart and floundering in darkness. Yes, I'm Kylo Ren, but Kylo Ren has been healed.

Rey looked at him for a long moment, considering. She gently squeezed his hands, released them and said "I can do this."

**Author notes: I wanted to get the Kylo/Ben dichotomy out of the way early. Reviews/comments are gratefully accepted. This is my first fanfic. Wasn't intending to write it but I'm having a lot of fun with it.**


	9. Chapter 9:Take me Down to Coruscant City

As the Millennium Falcon dropped out of hyperspace near Coruscant both Rey and Kylo breathed a sigh of relief. The old girl made the trip without any major breakdowns.

"Let me do the talking please" says Rey to Kylo. "Things have changed a bit since you've been gone. We won't get a very pleasant reception if they know Kylo Ren is onboard."

She engages the comm and signals they are ready for landing instructions. In a few minutes they are hailed by ground control. "Corellion YT-1300 light freighter, this is Coruscant Control. Please identify and submit your cargo manifest prior to final approach."

"Roger Coruscant Control. This is the Millennium Falcon captained by Rey Skywalker. We are not carrying cargo this trip. Purpose of visit is personal rather than business."

"Acknowledged Master Skywalker. Welcome to Coruscant. I'm transmitting landing instructions. Please do not deviate from your designated flight path. You have been assigned to Docking Bay 89.

"Thank you Coruscant Control. Landing instructions received. Millennium Falcon out."

"Coruscant Control roger and out."

Kylo looks at Rey with a raised eyebrow. "Did I suddenly acquire a cousin? Or a sister?"

"Leave off Kylo. I wanted a surname and I wanted to honor Leia and Luke. It made sense at the time."

Kylo wisely does not mention the Palpatine granddaughter thing. He has his doubts about the veracity of that claim, and she doesn't need the reminder.

Rey takes the Falcon down through the Coruscant atmosphere with the sure touch of a born pilot and soon has landed in the assigned docking bay. She goes through shutdown procedures and waits for a ground crew to hook the Falcon up to external power.

"What now Kylo?" she asks.

"Clothing. I need something that doesn't scream First Order solider." Kylo replies as he reaches for Rey's datapad. He pulls up what looks like a banking site, fiddles around a bit and then authorizes access for two credit sticks."This account can't be traced back to me. We can use it for any purchases we need to make while we are on Coruscant."

Rey digs around in her knapsack and extracts a couple of credit sticks. "These are blank." Kylo takes them, and enters the account and authorization numbers onto them. Handing one to Rey, he tucks the other one in his trouser pocket.

"We aren't hacking into some poor sod's credits are we?" Rey inquires suspiciously.

"No." replies Kylo. "I own this account under another name."

Rey thinks she knows what name he used but she's feeling a bit bratty so she asks," and what name is that, Kylo?"

"Ben Solo." he snaps irritably, "It's a legal identity. Just because I don't want to be called Ben Solo doesn't mean I don't see the value of retaining and using it as necessary."

"Practical." agreed Rey. "That's a good trait in a brother, or maybe a cousin."

"Don't push it, Skywalker." He starts to strip off his black coat and tunic, leaving his long sleeved undertunic. Rey looks at him thoughtfully and darts into the captain quarters. She emerges in a couple minutes with a long sleeved, button down white shirt.

"Here, put this on. If you roll up the sleeves and button it you'll look less like a scoundrel."

He doesn't want to take it because it obviously belonged to his father but she makes a good point so he takes it with only a little growl.

They lower the boarding ramp and descend into the Coruscant afternoon. The sky is a brilliant shade of blue, and puffy white clouds are skulling across the sky. The golden yellow sun is high and warms the air pleasantly.

"So where are we going?" asked Rey.

"Embassy Mall." He replied. "If you can't find what you need there you didn't really need it. We can catch a shuttle there from the Spaceport."

They stroll across the tarmac to the terminal and soon find themselves on the way.

Rey is staring out the window as shuttle wound it's way toward the Nicandra Building.

"The entire planet is one city," Kylo told her. "Some of the tallest building in the galaxy are here."

"It's a bit overwhelming." she answered. "No, it's totally overwhelming. I'm having trouble fitting my head around the idea."

"We won't be here long," he replied. "I'll research our next destination when we get back to the Falcon."

**Author Notes: I have Chapter 11 ready but still cogitating on Chapter 10. I'll probably post both of them next week.**


	10. Chapter 10: Shopping Trip

After about 20 minutes of travel through the glass and durasteel skyscraper canyons the shuttle pulls up at the Nicandra Building. Embassy Mall encompasses several floors in the middle section of the building, and they are dropped off conveniently at the massive entrance of the mall. As they walk into the mall Rey tries very hard not to gawk. She is used to miserly little Resistance bases on out-of-the-way planets in the Outer Rim, and the sheer opulence of the core world shopping center leaves her gobsmacked. The colors, the gilt, the noise! And all the store fronts - so many stores! So many people! Niima Outpost would be lost in here.

"Why don't we split up and meet at the Food Court in a couple of hours?" Kylo suggests.

"No! Oh gods no!" exclaims Rey, her eyes as big a saucers. "I…I'd get lost." Kylo feels her panic rising through the Bond and immediately backtracks. "Ok, let's do this. We'll find a store that offers women's and men's clothing, pick out a few outfits, get lunch and head back to the Falcon." She nods in agreement. "I didn't know it would be so … so much when you suggested going here. There never was more than a hundred people or so at the Resistance bases, and Niima Outpost was even smaller."

Kylo looks at her, takes her left hand and wraps it around his right arm. "This will keep us from being separated in the crowd." Rey relaxes a little and so does Kylo, to his surprise. He's not normally comfortable in crowds - they tend to activate his fight/flight instincts. Having her on his arm is - calming. An effect of the Force bond perhaps?

Kylo thinks some more about the Force bond as they walk and decides to try an experiment. "Rey, I'm going to try something with our bond. It won't hurt, but it may startle you."

"Um... ok?" She responds.

He stops them in front of the mall directory holo and focuses on reaching Rey through the bond.

_{{Rey, can you hear me?}}_ [[_Kylo? Are you talking in my head?_]]

_{{I'm reaching you through our bond.}}_ [[_That's a bit creepy Kylo._]]

_{{I swear I'm not snooping.}}_ [[_BETTER NOT BUSTER!_]]

_{{Ow! Don't yell please. I just thought it would be a way to talk without being overheard.}}_

[[_Kylo -_ ]]

_{{See? You don't want to call me Kylo out loud.}}_ [[_Alright, but you better behave yourself._]]

_{{Of course.}}_ He chuckles a bit at that.

They look over the offerings on the directory and finally pick out a clothing store that was fairly close by. They both had a feeling that they were entering terra incognito - Rey had a couple of outfits which were essentially a hybrid between her desert wraps and a white Jedi uniform, while Kylo had been wearing 'scare the crap out my enemies' head to toe black since he had left Luke's temple and joined Snoke and the First Order.

As they quickly discovered, an efficient technique to expedite clothes shopping was to wander around the racks looking lost until a helpful sales clerk pops up and offers to translate their requirements into potential purchases, estimating what would actually fit and gently directing them to the appropriate dressing rooms to try on the offerings.

[[_I'm not enjoying this._]] {{_No kidding.}}_

[[_Promise me we won't have to do this again for a long time._]] {{_Agreed.}}_

Eventually they find themselves out of the store loaded down with several bags and a rather reduced level on one of the credit sticks. "That wasn't too bad." said Kylo. "Yes, yes it was." replied Rey. "Too many people, too much noise."

Kyle looked at her with a little concern. "Would you like to go back to the Falcon right now? We can just eat some ship rations there."

"No, I'm sick of ship rations. They are almost but not quite as bad as the portions Unkar Plutt used to pay scavengers for salvage. I want real food."

Kylo agreed. Ship rations were not as bad as First Order meals-ready-to-eat, but only by a hair. They walked a little farther as the shop fronts eventually gave way to a large open atrium with tables and chairs scatters throughout. Food carts were located in and around the Food Court, giving off delectable smells of cuisines from around the galaxy. They found an open table and Kylo went up to the nearest food cart while Rey stayed with the bags. After a few minutes he returned with two plates.

"It smell delicious, but what is it?" asked Rey.

"I'm not sure." replied Kylo. There was a pile of meat and vegetables, several warm flat bread rounds, something brown that looked mashed and creamy, and some orange colored grains. They looked around at the diners at the nearby tables. "It looks like we put the meat and vegetables on the flat bread and wrap it up to eat."

While he made a wrap Rey tasted the brown mush. "It doesn't look very appetizing but it tastes really good. I think it's some sort of bean." She took a bit of the orange grains. "This is good too. It's just a little spicy but not too much."

Meanwhile, two former Resistance members are taking their lunch break at the Embassy Food Court.

"Hey Finn, is that Rey over there?"

"Where?" asks Finn, looking up from his shawarma and swiveling his head like a weathervane.

"Over there, across the Food Court." answers Poe, pointing at the table where Kylo and Rey are sitting. Finn looks and squints a bit. The Embassy Mall Food Court is huge and the table is pretty far from them. "I don't think so." he replied. "A lot of women wear their hair in that weird three bun style. Isn't she still on Ahch-to working on some sort of super secret Jedi project?"

"I guess so." said Poe. "The guy sitting with her looks a whole lot like Matt the radar tech. He was a real noob, wasn't he?"

"Yep." said Finn. "Which means that can't be Rey. She wouldn't hang out with a noob like Matt."


	11. Chapter 11: Not How the Force Works

The sky was painted in brilliant sunset reds and oranges when Kylo and Rey finally made it back to the Falcon.

"I had no idea that you had such a sweet tooth" said Kylo as they schlepped the shopping bags up the boarding ramp. "I regret nothing." replied Rey, "Especially that slice of air cake. And the chocolate covered strawberries. I never had sweets on Jakku. I was lucky to get those nasty rehydrated bread portions that Unkar Plutt handed out for salvage."

"Not criticizing, just commenting." commented Kylo as he placed his bags on one of the bunks in the crew quarters. He started putting clothes away in the tiny armoire next to the bunk. Rey watched as he stowed several pairs of indigo jeans, a variety of long sleeved shirts, a black leather jacket, and a black jacaru hat.

"What's with the hat, Kylo?" asked Rey.

"Kylo Ren doesn't wear hats." he replied. "He wears a helmet with a scary-as-shit mask, but not a hat. You see a guy in a hat and you probably won't think Kylo Ren."

"Especially when the whole ensemble is not all black." agreed Rey. "I like the leather jacket. It says darkly sexy, not darkly evil." Kylo raises an eyebrow at her but refrains from commenting as they head back onto the main deck.

Kylo sits down on one of the benches around the Dejarik table. As he picks up her datatpad he asks if he could use it to do some research. "Hang on a minute," she says as she drags her backpack over to the table. She opens it and rummages around a bit, pulling out another datapad. She hands it to him and as he turns it on he realizes that it's his datapad from his time as Supreme Leader of the First Order.

"Where did you get this?" He asked. "Same place I got that uniform." She answered. "Really Kylo, do you actually want to know the details?" He sighed. "No, I suppose not. Did you clean off the tracking software?" She gave him a _look_. The look that says 'Duh, not stupid' and retorted "My friend Rose is a top shelf slicer. No one is going to track you with that datapad."

"Well, thank you. Sincerely. I never expected to see this datapad again." He smiles at Rey and she grins back. She settles on the bench across the Dejarik table from Kylo, turns on her datapad and calls up an entertainment program. Kylo isn't actually paying attention to it but it sounds like some sort of holonovella.

He leans back on the bench and sets the search engine to gathering information on the current political situation and who's allied with whom. After a few minutes he has a display of galactic level governmental groups:

United New Republic

Confederation of Planets

United Planetary Systems

Renewed First Order

Alliance of Systems

Mid Rim Confederation

United Outer Rim

And this is only a partial list. Looks like the First Order is still a going concern, albeit much smaller. Ditto for the New Republic - correction, _United_ New Republic though Kylo isn't sure why they added "United" to the name. Hmmm, looks like Kanjiklub and the Guavian Death Gang are terrorizing the Outer Rim again. And the Hutts are gaining ground in the Mid Rim. Interesting. Now which one of these do not want Kylo Ren's head on a platter?

He's not sure what's worse, one huge inefficient galaxy spanning political morass or many small political entities that are ok on the local issues but useless when it comes to galaxy level concerns like interstellar gangs and pirates.

As he sits and reads his datapad he gradually becomes aware of the sound of whooshing lightsabers. Startled, he looks up and realizes it's coming from Rey's datapad. He scoots over and looks at the screen over her shoulder. "What are you watching?" he asks

"It's a holonovella titled _Zabranjena ljubav_," she replied. "It's set in the time of the Old Republic and tells the story of two lovers, a Jedi and a Sith. All the girls in Resistance were big fans of the series. It was so romantic and so sad. The Jedi, Zamorii, was trying to bring the Sith, Darth M'Aark, back to the Light."

Kylo rolls his eyes and watches for a few minutes.

"That's not how the Force works." he deadpans. "I _know_ that!" she growls back.

They watch a few more minutes.

"That's not how you fight with lightsabers."

She rolls her eyes. "I know!"

They watch a few more minutes. Zamorii and M'Aark embrace and share a passionate kiss.

"A Jedi Knight eschews attachments. She wouldn't be caught dead kissing a Sith."

Rey stands and angrily slams her hand on the Dejarik table. "You know nothing, Kylo Ren! And you're an asshole!" She grabs her datapad and storms across the main deck toward the cockpit.

He can almost hear her thoughts as she disappears into the cockpit. How he doesn't understand. Wondering why she got Kylo instead of Ben. Worried about the Dark.

This is her fault. She's as touchy as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. It was just a dumb holonovella. He was just critiquing the things he knew were wrong. Stupid holonovella.

Kylo sighs. No, it was his fault, mostly at least. She has been nervous about getting Kylo instead of Ben and his snarking about her holonovella didn't reassure her that he wasn't going to be a Dark prince or something similar. Oh bugger, that stupid show was about a Jedi and a Sith falling in love. Way too close to their dyad bond situation.

He wanted to punch something out of sheer frustration. He tamps that impulse down. Putting dents in the walls would just hurt his hands and make her think he was dangerous to her. He paced the deck for a while to burn off the jittery energy.

After a while he had worn off enough energy to sit back at the Dejarik table and attempt to finish his research. He leans his right elbow on the table and rests his forehead in his hand, attempting to focus on the words in front of him. As he sits reading he senses Rey coming up behind him. She stops next to the bench and waits.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I was being a real jerk. I don't always know how to relate to other people. Snoke's conditioning didn't help with that. He looks at her. "I know, not an excuse."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry too. I've been a bit nervous ever since you told me that you were Kylo and not Ben. I'm still processing the whole idea."

She sits on the edge of the bench and bumps him until he scoots over. "You were right about the holonovella. I know the Force doesn't work like that, but it's escapist entertainment. How about you watch it with me next time and we'll both snark about it?"

He smiles at her and accepts the olive branch.

Rey stands up. "I think I'm going to call it a night. Help me button the ship up?"

Kylo shuts down his datapad and stands up. "Sure. We'll talk about our next port of call in the morning, ok?"

**Author notes: This was fun to write. Chapter 12 needs one more proofread and then it's good to go. Look for it on Thursday.**


	12. Chapter 12: Regrets, He's had a Few

They were sleeping in the crew bunks - Kylo refused to use the captain's quarters ("that was Han's.") and Rey wasn't comfortable shut up in the dark cabin by herself. Kylo had suggested getting temporary quarters near the spaceport but Rey was reluctant to spend more credits. "We are already paying berthing fees." she had argued, "Let's just use the crew quarters."

Sometime between the dead middle of the night and sunrise she woke up to hear muttering coming from Kylo's bunk. She rolled out of her bunk and crept across the floor. Kylo was thrashing in his sleep, moving his head back and forth and muttering "No, no, stay away. Don't come near me. Please don't." She touched his shoulder gently and said "Kylo? Wake up Kylo." repeatedly. Suddenly he sat up, eyes wide open, his breath coming in short, swift gasps.

"It's ok Kylo. You were dreaming." said Rey as she patted his arm. He took a deep breath and looked over at her. For a moment he doesn't know where he is or who she is. "Rey?" he says, disoriented.

"You were thrashing and talking in your sleep. I think you were having a nightmare."

"No kidding." he sighed.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's the same dream I've had since Starkiller Base."

"Are you dreaming about … Han?"

"Yes." he said, grimacing.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asks again.

"No." pause "Maybe."

"It's close to dawn. I'll go to the galley and make us some coffee."

"Ok."

Rey throws a robe over her chemise and heads over to the galley, turning on a light and pulling out the coffee container. Kylo follows out a couple of minutes later, hair mussed and wearing just some loose sleep pants. Rey fixes two cups and pushes one over to Kylo. And then she waits, quietly sipping her coffee.

Kylo pulls his cup over and takes a sip. He holds it in his hands for a moment or two, and then looks at her, eyes filled with old pain and regret.

"I didn't hate Han Solo. He wasn't the best father but he tried, at least for a while. I was angry, disappointed, frustrated, but no hate. Not really."

Kylo smiled slightly as a memory crossed his mind. "On my eighteenth birthday he and Chewy showed up in the Falcon at Luke's Academy and 'kidnapped' me. Took me for a 2 month long smuggling run. I was annoyed at first but by the time we got back I'd had the time of my life. Luke was appalled and Mom was livid. I don't know what she said to him but he never tried that again."

He shook his head slightly, "I was disappointed and angry of course, and Snoke used that to put more poison in my mind against my parents." He shrugged. I felt that my father had dangled and then snatched away the chance to join him on the Falcon, something more satisfying and exciting than beating myself up trying to master the Light side of the Force."

He sighed. "Luke tried, I suppose, but he was scared of the Dark side. For him, Dark equaled evil. I don't think he realized how harsh and unapproachable he was."

He paused, taking a sip of coffee. "I could use the Light side. Eventually, with a lot of effort. The Dark side was always easier." He looked at Rey over the rim of his cup. "Dispassionate was not my normal."

"So Snoke was pushing me to kill Han. Pushing for nearly a year before Starkiller. He said it would kill what was left of the Light in me and make me fully invested in the Dark. Liar. The old reprobate was ratcheting up my feelings of anger and hate and training me, if you can call it that, with pain inducing techniques that Torquemada would have considered too cruel to use."

"By the time I met my father on the bridge on Starkiller I wasn't anything close to stable. My mind was swinging between trusting Snoke and running for my life. I was a mess. I didn't want to kill him, not deep down. Hell, I didn't even want to hurt him. But Snoke was yelling in my head, egging me on."

"I don't know which one of us pushed the igniter. We kind of fumbled it between us. The lightsaber made him nervous. He didn't want to touch it but put his hand out and held it because I asked him."

Kylo stopped and just stared into the distance. "Did you know none of the classic lightsaber designs had any sort of safety switch? My saber didn't have one. I wonder if that would have made a difference."

"When I saw him fall off the bridge I wanted to make it stop. Take it back. Killing my father didn't kill the Light, it just tore me up inside more than I was already. It was the turning point for me, though. He was right - Snoke was using me. It took a while, but Han's death pulled me back from the edge of falling into true evil."

He stopped again, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I think ... he knew it was dangerous to confront me but he did it anyway. No hesitation. He didn't understand me. My Force powers scared him. But he loved me. I know that now."

Kylo sits there, staring off into space. There are few things he regrets more than Han Solo's death. He will never know if it was his action that activated the lightsaber, but he will always know it was his choice to put it against his father's chest, and it will forever be his responsibility.

Rey can feel his regret, his pain, his anguish through the Force Bond. She walks around the counter, wraps her arms around him and holds on tightly. "I'm here for you Kylo."

He slowly wraps his arms around Rey and rests his chin on her head, letting her Light fill him with calm,"Thank you." he said softly. He feels/hears her thought across the bond [[I needed to know this.]]

After a few minutes they let go of each other. Kylo clears his throat and says "I would like to head to Takodana when we leave Coruscant. I need to talk to Maz Kanata."

"I'll get our departure scheduled."replied Rey. She smiled "Let's blow this popsicle stand."

**Author's note: I don't know if my interpretation is canon but it's how I saw the theme develop when I watched the sequel trilogy. As always I love to read your comments. What do you think?**


	13. Chapter 13: Just One More Thing

The sun had just crested the horizon, turning the dawn sky into a riot of colors as Rey and waits for a ground crew to decouple the Falcon from external power. She watches the sunrise with a smile, enjoying the time left planet side before they depart for their next destination.

"Rey!" Kylo calls from the top of the boarding ramp, "We have company on the way."

"I'll be in as soon as the ground crew gets here."

A few minutes later a flight line transport rolls up with the ground crew. After watching them efficiently disconnect the Falcon she tromps up the ramp and into the old freighter. She notices that he's dressed in his new outfit, denim pants, grey button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up above the elbow, and black boots.

[[_Wow!_]]

Kylo doesn't say a word but he does make another mental note to talk to her about low level shielding.

"What's up Kylo?"

"Coruscant Control called to tell us our departure would be delayed 2 hours to allow a United New Republic official to come by to talk to you." answered Kylo.

"Me? What does the New Republic want with me?" asked Rey

"Did anyone debrief you after the battle with the Emperor?"

"The Resistance did, sort of. I'm not sure you could consider it a formal debriefing."

"What happened when you returned from Exegol? asked Kylo. "Did you tell them about the Emperor? Did you tell them that Kylo Ren died?"

"I did. replied Rey, "But with no bodies, and with all the evidence destroyed no one believed me. They just called it 'weird Force whoo-whoo' and left it at that."

"It's probably nothing important. Just remember to introduce me as Ben Solo." He makes a bit of a face at that but no one needs to know that Kylo Ren is hanging around on Coruscant.

After a while a rumpled middle aged man ambles up to the boarding ramp and hollers "Permission to come aboard - United New Republic business."

Rey steps out on the top of the ramp and says "Identify yourself please."

"I'm Inspector Peter Falkus, United New Republic External Investigation Bureau. If I can come up I will present my credentials." Rey nods. Falkus walks to the top of the ramp and hands her folder with an identification card and a badge. She motions Kylo over and shows him the credentials, hands them back to Falkus and says "Come aboard Inspector."

They walk into the main deck. Rey offers the Inspector coffee but he declines politely. Courtesies satisfied, Rey says "What can we do for you Inspector? As you can see we are preparing for departure but we have a few minutes we can give you."

"That's very kind Ms Skywalker."

"It's Master or Captain, Inspector Falkus."

"So sorry. Which title do you prefer?"

"Captain will do. Master is a formal Jedi designation."

"Captain Skywalker then. And your crewmember?"

"This is my cousin, Ben Solo. He is my partner, not crew.

{{_Cousin?_}} [[_Just go along with it Kylo. I could have told him you were my brother._]]

{{_Ok. For now. But we are going to talk about this later._}} [[_Hush. I need to pay attention._]]

Falkus cleared his throat and takes out an old fashioned notebook and writing tool. "Captain Skywalker, the United New Republic is very interested in determining the whereabouts of Kylo Ren. Our information indicates that the last time he was seen was on Kef Bir in your company. Could you confirm this?"

{{_I'm right here_}} [[_Shut up Kylo! Stop distracting me._]]

{{_Just let me do the mind trick thing on him and send him on his way._}}

[[_No! When it wears off he will put out an all galaxy bulletin on us. We can't make him suspicious._]]

"Yes Inspector, I can confirm that. I can also confirm that Kylo Ren died beside me while we fought the former Emperor and his Sith supporters on Exegol about 8 months ago." responded Rey.

"Thank you Captain. I understand you reported this information to the Resistance at the time of the incident." stated the Inspector.

"That is correct." she said.

"Was there an autopsy done on the body?

"Excuse me?" {{_I'm ready to Force choke this joker._}} [[_NO! No Force choking!_]]

"Did anyone examine Kylo Ren's body to determine the cause of his death?" persisted the Inspector.

"No Inspector. In the case of high level force users their bodies dissolve and they are subsumed into the Force. I watch that happen to Kylo Ren." {{_I'm so sorry you had to go through that._}} [[_Thank you Kylo. Now let me get rid of this guy so we can leave._]]

"Was anyone with you who could collaborate your story?" asked Falkus.

"No Inspector. Only the two of us fought the Emperor. [[_I hate talking about this Kylo_]] {{_I'm really restraining myself. I want to bounce him down the ramp. Repeatedly._}} Is there anything else?"

"I think that covers everything Captain Skywalker. said Inspector Falkus. He pulls out a grubby card and hands it to Rey. "Here is my business card. If you remember anything else you can reach me at my comm signal."

Rey thanks the Inspector for his card and walks him to the top of the ramp. Suddenly he stops and turns toward Kylo. "I almost forgot. Just one more thing. Mr Solo, I understand that you have been missing, presumed dead for the last 8 years, since the destruction of your uncle's Jedi Academy. Could you tell me where you have been all this time?

Kylo narrows his eyes. "I'm not sure how to answer that. I sustained a head injury during the incident that affected my memory. Most of that time is very foggy. My cousin only recently found me in the Outer Rim. Her Force abilities helped me regain my identity, if not all my memories."

{{_How's that?_}} [[_It's good Kylo_]]

Inspector Falkus thanks both of them again and ambles down the boarding ramp to the tarmac. Kylo and Rey watch him until he disappears into the terminal.

"Let's get out of here before he thinks of something else to come back and ask us" grumbled Kylo.

Rey nodded, and they both headed to the cockpit to initiate the launch sequence.

**Author's note: I was planning to save this to post next week but it's done and I like it so here it is. Enjoy! As always, comments are welcome.**


	14. Chapter 14: Let's Stop at Maz's Place

Takodana slowly grew in front of the Falcon, a lush green pearl in a velvety sea of star spangled blackness.

"You know Kylo, if you hadn't insisted that we take a right turn at Kuat we would have gotten here a lot sooner."

"i'm not the one who said 'Let's go see Chewy! We're not too far from Kashyyk.' I'm fairly sure he still wants to tear my arms off." replied Kylo.

"Nah, he got over that months ago. Now he just wants to smack you around a bit."

As they broke atmosphere Rey thought about when she and Kylo met over a year ago and wondered if he was thinking about it too.

"Yes." said Kylo absently. Rey's head whipped around as she glared at him.

"What? I wasn't snooping. You were thinking loudly." Kylo protested.

Rey harrumphs but decides to give him a pass this time.

"This is where it all began. she mused." Really began for me. If we hadn't met ..."

"You'd probably would have gone back to Jakku." He looked thoughtful. "And I would probably be still serving Snoke. You did give me a good reason to take him on."

The late afternoon sun gilded the greenery as Rey gently landed the Falcon in a large field near Maz Kanata's former castle. Not one to let a little matter of the First Order destroying the structure nearly two years ago end a sweet setup, Maz had parlayed her reputation as a pirate queen and haven for smugglers, pirates and other travelers who skirted the edges of the law to call in a pile of favors and rebuild everyone's favorite hideout and cantina. Instead of a sad pile of rubble, Maz had rebuilt and upgraded the structure. It still had it's dark and shadowed bar (great for facilitating less than legal transactions), and she had included a wing of rooms available for a modest fee for those who really didn't want to sleep in a narrow crew bunk in their ships.

"We are getting a room." declared Kylo, brooking no argument. "I'm tired of waking up with my back in knots." Rey refrained from arguing because, truth to tell, the bunks on the Falcon were awfully damn uncomfortable.

Shutdown procedures complete, Rey deploys the boarding ramp and the two saunter over to the cantina.

"Nice hat." comments Rey. "In that outfit wearing that hat no one would mistake you for the guy who wears a helmet with a scary-as-shit mask."

"There weren't many people who knew what I looked like under the mask. If we are lucky most of them died when most of the First Order was destroyed. Hux knew, but I'm pretty sure he's dead."

They entered the bar and headed for a table in the dimmest back corner they could find. It wouldn't do for Maz to spot them and holler 'Ben Solo!' or even worse, 'Kylo Ren!' Kylo pulls his hat brim forward to shade his face a bit more, because why take chances?

"Why don't I go get Maz?" suggested Rey. "No reason for you to draw any attention."

"I agree." said a voice just below the edge of the table.

"Bloody hell!" exclaimed Kylo. "Don't sneak up like that!"

"I didn't sneak. I sashayed. Hello Kylo Ren." said the little orange woman. Maz was, well, no one was sure what species she was. Definitely humanoid, definitely short, definitely old (the rumors were she was over a thousand years). The thing everyone notices first are her eyes, which her glasses magnify to the size of saucers.

Maz climbed up on a chair and said "Emmie is bringing drinks and a selection of nibbles. You aren't planning to have a fit are you Kylo? If you are you can leave right now."

"I haven't had a 'fit' since before I died at Exegol." he nodded toward Rey, "she wouldn't like it."

Maz stared at him for a moment, climbed up on the table, adjusted her glasses and peered into Kylo's eyes. "Yep, those are the eyes of a man telling the truth. Though eventually I would like the story behind your remarkable resuscitation."

"You done Maz?" said Kylo, meeting her stare for stare. "I've got business to discuss with you."

"You didn't learn any manners from your father, did you boy?"

"He didn't hang around long enough to teach me."

"Kylo, stop aggravating Maz. Business, right?" interjected Rey. She turned to Maz. "We have to make a few allowances for him. He was mostly dead for about 8 months and he's just getting used to being in the world of the living."

Maz sat back and laughed. "You want to keep this one Kylo. So what do you have for me?"

"I need to move some money around. Discreetly."

"I can do that. For a fee."

"I need to move most of my First Order account to a few I own legally, and I need to make sure the credits can't be traced."

"Wait," said Rey, "You have a credit account with the First Order?"

"Yes, I did get paid a salary while I was Master of the Knights of Ren and Supreme Leader. Is that a surprise?"

"I had no idea that an evil organization like the First Order paid their members."

"What, did you think everyone worked for room and board?" asked Kylo.

"How much do you want to move?" interrupted Maz, and where do you want me to put it?"

Kylo passed her his datapad. "Here's the account information. Divide the credits equally between the Solo account, the Organa account and the Naberrie account."

"Ok," said Maz. "Did you want to leave anything in the First Order account?"

"Just enough so if anyone realizes it still there and decides to confiscate the account it doesn't look too suspicious. Say about 10,000 credits." replied Kylo.

Rey looked over his shoulder at the datapad. "Wow Kylo, that's a lot of money."

"I got room, board and uniforms as well as my salary. The rooms were small, the food was marginally eatable and I never wore casual clothing. I really didn't have a lot to spend the salary on."

"I can do it for a 15% commission on the amount transferred." said Maz, looking up from her datapad.

"That's a bit steep Maz." complained Kylo. "The word I got was that you charged 10%."

"Normally that would be the case." she countered. "But if I'm going into a First Order account I need to hire a splicer to help cover my tracks."

"Deal." sighed Kylo. "How long will it take?"

"Give me three days. Five at the maximum."

Business completed, Maz take a swig of her drink (something bright pink with an umbrella and a cherry on top) and grabs a handful of finger food.

"So what's the story? Why is the Last Jedi traveling with the not-so-dead ex-Supreme Leader of the First Order?

"It's complicated." said Rey.

"It's always complicated." responded Maz. "Care to give me the uncomplicated version?"

"Even the uncomplicated version is complicated Maz" interjected Kylo. "Let's just say that for the near future Rey and I are partners and part owners of the Millennium Falcon. We are at loose ends at the moment as to what our next move will be."

Maz adjusted her lenses and looked at the two of them closely. "There is more to it than that. You going to tell me or let me guess? My guesses may get rather loud."

Kylo and Rey look at each other and then back at Maz.

"Kylo and I are connected by a Force bond. said Rey soberly. "It's a rare one. We are two who share one soul. Whatever happens to him affects me too."

"I know something about Force bonds. This is a dyad bond, I take it." said Maz. "For life, and maybe beyond."

Maz leaned forward, adjusting her glasses."So, Kylo Ren, what are the odds that you will surrender yourself into the United New Republic for trial and sentencing?"

"Absolutely none." responded Kylo, glaring at Maz. "I am not inclined to subject myself to a star chamber and a summary execution on prime time holovision. Nor am I inclined to put Rey through that. Is this going to be a problem, Maz?"

"You know my rules. said Maz, "I kick you out if you start a fight but I don't turn anyone in to the gendarmes." At that Klyo sits back and picks up his pint of lager.

Maz graby another handful of finger food. "So what are your plans? I know you said that you are at loose ends but did you have any ideas about what you want to do next?"

Rey sighed. "I would like to do something normal. Something that doesn't involve fighting and running. Some time to learn more about the Force and what I can do with it."

"I'm not sure I know what 'normal looks like." commented Kylo. "I was a lost little kid raised by nannies and droids until I was sent to Luke when I was 8. Then I was trained as an ascetic until my early twenties. Under Snoke I was only permitted to indulge in a few, specific emotions - anger and hate being the most prominent. I was trained to be a warrior and to lead men in battle. I don't want to do that anymore."

"You may have noticed that galactic governance is a bit fractured at the moment." interjected Maz. "Lots of groups doing their own thing and the United New Republic struggling to make alliances. It's a great time to be a smuggler, or maybe a bounty hunter."

"Well, what do you want to do Kylo?" asked Rey.

"I'm not sure. Maybe follow in my father's footsteps for a while." He smiled at Rey. "What do you think about bespoke shipping?"

"Do you mean smuggling?" frowned Rey.

"It beats the hell out of thievery, scavenging, and pod racing. He was a pretty good gambler, but it would take some practice to be good enough to make a living like that."

"So, smuggling, then? asked Maz. "I've got a job for you. Just a little bit of tax evasion. Quick, easy, just right for a starter run at the business."

Kylo laughed "You would trust Kylo Ren with a smuggling job?"

Maz adjusted her lenses and looked him over again. "Yes, I think so. You've changed, Kylo. The energy surrounding you is much less chaotic and it's ragged edges are smoother." She nods at Rey. "You're good for him. Maybe he's good for you, too."


	15. Chapter 15: Get a Room You Two

"Well, this is nicer than the crew bunks." said Rey, looking around the room they had rented at Maz's new and improved castle. There were two good sized beds and glory, hallelujah, a full sized fresher with an extra large shower. She tossed her bag on one of the beds and sat down while Kylo claimed the other one.

Rey kicked off her boots, stretched out on the bed and sighed.

"Things have moved so fast since I recovered you at Atch-To. I feel like I've barely had time to think, to sort out my thoughts and feelings."

"It's been intense." agreed Kylo.

"I hate to admit it, Kylo, but sometimes I felt like a mascot for the Resistance. I was suppose to be the 'beacon of hope' for potential recruits. The poor little desert girl who was suddenly gifted with incredible powers. The Jedi girl, even though I had barely any training. I hated it. I wanted to be valued for who I was, not as my use as a symbol."

Rey sighed again, "I really miss Leia though."

"I don't want to talk about her." said Kylo abruptly.

"Kylo, one day you will need to forgive your mother. She did what she thought was best." said Rey softly.

"Oh yeah. But it didn't make it the right thing." He answered bitterly. "My mother loved me, loved the Light of the Force in me, but she hated the Dark that was in me. Snoke rattling around in my head just made things worse, because that son of a bitch was evil, black as tar. She saw my natural Dark and Snoke as the same thing. Something to be totally eradicated so pure Light Ben could reach the destiny she envisioned for him." Kylo sighed. "I truly believe that if she thought destroying Kylo Ren was the only way to bring Ben back to the Light she would have done so without hesitation."

"Do you still love her?" asked Rey quietly.

"Maybe." He sat quietly for a minute. "Probably. But I doubt I'll ever forgive her."

"What about Luke?" she asked. "He deeply regretted what happened."

"What do you mean 'What about Luke'?" asked Kylo. "Am I suppose to forgive him for trying to kill me? Make nice? No."

Kylo stood up suddenly. "I can't talk about this right now. I'm going for a walk."

"Kylo, I'm sorry - "

He put his hand up to stop her words. "I just need to calm down. I'll be back shortly."

Kylo opened the door and went out into the warm night, closing it behind him. Rey watched, her thoughts troubled. Things had been going fairly well and now this. He'd actually been kind of sweet and supportive. More like the Ben she expected to pull back and not the Dark Lord she was afraid would come through. This is more like Dark Lord than Light Ben. It was probably a mistake to mention Leia and Master Luke. She needs to _think_ before spouting whatever is on her mind.

Well, he would either be back tonight or he wouldn't. Rey yawned, and then headed to the fresher to get ready for bed. Nope, she's not going to wait up for Kylo. He's a big boy, he can take care of himself. At least she hoped he could.

Kylo is wandering a bit aimlessly through the forest that surrounds the castle and the lake. There was no moon so wandering through a pitch black forest may not have been the smartest thing to do. Still, he needed to rid himself of the jittery energy that smacked him in the chest when Rey started talking about his mother and uncle.

I bet she's wondering if I'm going all Dark Lord on her. Can't a guy express some existential angst without being accused of being evil incarnate? Ok, he knows he's overreacting, but damn it all, he's really jittery. After a bit he realizes that the Force is gently urging him in a particular direction. It's still pitch black but this area looks a bit familiar, like he's been here before familiar.

The Force leads him into a clearing and the feeling of being directed dissipates. Kylo looks around and realizes that this is the clearing where he found Rey, back when the Force bond began. As he stands there a soft blue light fills the clearing, resolving into a man's figure. A much neater, more put together Luke Skywalker.

"Oh hells bells, not again!" yells Kylo as he turns to leave the clearing.

"Ben - Kylo, please, I need to talk to you." Luke says in a soft, pleading voice, Kylo stops and turns back to glare at Luke.

and took a breath, "I know you don't want to talk to me. I don't particularly want to talk to you either. But I owe it to you and Rey to make sure you understand how the dyad bond will affect you."

"Talk then, Uncle" said Kylo ungraciously. He folded his arms over his chest and waited.

"First, you need to understand that your bond was not created by Snoke. It arose naturally through the Force, by the will of the Force."

Kylo nodded. He had suspected so much.

Luke continued, "It was created to fulfill a purpose of the Force, of which you may or may not ever become aware. It connects the minds and souls of two Force sensitive sapient beings across space and time. The bonded pair can communicate across the galaxy - distance is no barrier."

"The bond needs both the Dark side and the Light side to be created. The longer it exists the stronger it will become, and the stronger both of you will become in the Force. Your powers support and augment each other."

"Now the downside is that you may become so in tune that you will essentially be living in each other's heads, so you need to develop strong shields and use them regularly. You will have a good sense of each other's emotions, positive and negative. And I suspect you already know the whole 'your lives are tied to each other' business. You may also reflect each other's pain and physical status. Mostly pain."

Kylo thought briefly about his Corellian brandy hangover and winced. "Anything else?" he demanded.

"Yes." answered Luke. "We need to talk about that night …"

"You mean the night you tried to kill me with your lightsaber?" interrupted Kylo brusquely.

Luke looked at him, guilt shining in his eyes.

"Be- sorry, Kylo, I'm still not sure what came over me that night. It was ... like some sort of compulsion. I was convinced that you were lost to the Darkness, that you needed to be destroyed to protect everything I had built and everyone I loved. When I stood over you, when you looked up at me with fear in your eyes ... I knew at that moment I had failed myself and I had failed you. I'm so sorry Kylo. I wasn't strong enough."

"Does it even matter now?" asked Kylo wearily. "I still can't forgive you. Not yet. Maybe someday, but not today."

"I know Kylo. I just felt I needed to tell you. I love you kiddo. I wish I had told you that back then, before ..."

"Yeah. I need to be alone now Uncle."

Luke bowed his head, a sad and solemn expression on this face as he disappears.

Kylo stood in the clearing, anger suffusing his body, his hands in tight fists at his sides. With a shout he rips a large boulder out of the ground with the Force and throws it into a group of trees. The boulder hits them with a loud crack, some of them breaking, some of them pulling out of the ground by the roots. Chest heaving, he tries to get control of his breathing. Deep breaths, slow, deep, breaths. They don't need for Maz to give them the boot because he had a temper tantrum. His breathing slowly returned to normal and he sheepishly returned the boulder to the spot it was sitting originally.

Kylo isn't sure how long he has been out, but he's more settled and is probably fit company now for Rey. He stands there and focus on the Force bond. He doesn't feel any upset on her end of the bond. Maybe she's asleep?

He starts walking back through the woods and toward the castle.


	16. Chapter 16: Perhaps to Dream

Kylo walked thoughtfully towards the room he shared with Rey. His uncle had given him a lot to consider. This dyad bond ... he shook his head, irritated at the Force. It's not as if he and Rey had been given a choice to have a dyad bond. He'd have to work on keeping his barriers up. He had too many memories that she didn't need to be privy to. Some shameful, some embarrassing, some acutely painful.

He reached the door and slowly opened it to a darkened room. Good, she's asleep. He didn't really feel like talking about his mother, Luke, or anything else for that matter. Plus, he's trying to be aware of common courtesies and not wake her. He took off his boots, leaving them next to his bed, and padded quietly across the room to the fresher. He cleaned up as quietly as he could and put on a pair of sleep pants.

He pulled down the covers on the second bed and laid down. Yep, astronomically more comfortable than the crew bunks in the Falcon. And long enough so he could stretch out. As he is composing his mind and body so he can drift off to sleep he hears a noise. It's in the room. It sounds like … crying? Is Rey crying? Did he wake her up? Was she upset with him? He never had to deal with crying people when he was Supreme Leader. Should he do something or not?

He debated with himself for a minute or two while the crying continued. Finally Kylo went across the room to Rey's bed and yes, she was crying. She was also asleep. A wave of sorrow poured across the Force bond. It knocked Kylo back on his pins for a moment but he was experienced in dealing with strong, negative emotions. He decides to wake Rey and figure out what's wrong. He sits on her bed, gingerly puts his hand on her shoulder, and shakes it gently. "Rey," he says quietly, "Wake up Rey. You're dreaming."

After another minute or two of this Rey opens her eyes. She's disoriented from the dream and looks around, trying to figure out where she is. She looks at Kylo, sits up suddenly and wraps her arms around his shoulders. "Thank the Force! You're alive!" she exclaims.

"Yes?" he says. "Are you alright Rey?"

"Give me a moment" she answers, putting her head down on his chest. He remembers how when he had nightmares as a child his mother would rub his back, so he rubbed his hand in gentle circles on her upper back.

Rey sighed and looked up at him. "That was a really nasty one." she said.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked.

"No need for you to be bothered." she replied.

"I'm already bothered." he said with a little smile. "I can hold you if it makes it easier."

"Ok." She settled in his arms a bit more. "I was dreaming about our last lightsaber fight. The one on the Death Star wreck on Kef Bir. You turned your head like you heard something and dropped your lightsaber. I grabbed it and shoved it through your chest."

"I remember when that happened. You healed me before I could die."

"Well, this time I just stood there and looked at you as you died. I wanted to heal you but I couldn't move and I kept saying 'I wanted Ben.' It was horrible. I felt so dark …"

"It was just a dream." said Kylo softly. "I'm right here. I'm fine." He continued to stroke her back and she sighed.

"Why don't you lay down and go back to sleep?" he suggested.

"Could you stay and hold me for a while?" she asked. "I just need someone next to me."

He had asked the same thing of his parents when he had nightmares. Sometimes they would let him stay. Other times they would tell him to be a big boy and send him back to his room and the dream monsters. "Sure. Just budge over a bit." He stretched out next to Rey and pulled her over to him. Her back fit nicely along his chest. He carefully wrapped his arm around her stomach.

"Is this okay?" he asked.

"Yes. Thank you Kylo." she snuggled against him, yawned and went to sleep.

Kylo realized rather quickly that sleep was going to play hide and seek with his brain. Well, at least she didn't call him Ben. But judging from her dream she is still conflicted about exactly who she pulled back from Between Worlds. His mother probably filled her head with lovely, light Jedi Ben he thought sourly. There was no way he could compete with an ideal. Sooner or later they would have a blow up. He would just have to hope that she would realize that just being human wasn't the same as backsliding to Dark Lord status.

Then there was another thing to consider. What were his feelings for Rey? He cared _about_ her - after all they were tied together with a dyad bond that according to his uncle was a life time commitment. Not as if the Force asked if he wanted it or not. Did he care _for_ her? Romantically? Did he want their relationship to turn in that direction? Ok, he had been attracted to her since they fought at Starkiller Base. There was just something about her that kept pulling him back, even when it ended with lightsabers at ten paces.

Be honest with yourself Kylo, he told himself. You risked your life to help Rey defeat Palpatine. You gave your life force to her so she would live even though you knew it would probably kill you. And you're not sure if you care for her? Pull the other leg, it's got bells on.

With that revelation Kylo's brain decided to stop playing around and wrestled sleep to the ground. As he drifted off Kylo's last thought was how comfortable it felt to have Rey in his arms.

Several hours later Rey woke up to find herself wrapped in a sleeping Kylo's arms. She vaguely remembered asking him to hold her for a while after a particularly horrible nightmare. But she remembered scooting her back against him. Now her head was resting on his shoulder and her arm was stretched over his chest. It was actually rather comfortable and she was loath to move too soon. Her brain, though, rudely told her that it was awake and while she could cuddle with her Kylo pillow as long as she wanted she needed to deal with some thinking.

So what the hell was that dream telling her anyway? In the dream she skewered Kylo and let him die. Is that what she wanted? Did she want Ben so much that she wanted Kylo to be gone? She knows Kylo. Kylo wanted to teach her about the Force. Kylo comforted her after her encounter with the Dark on Ahch-To. Kylo killed Snoke and saved her life. Kylo offered her everything he had after the fight with Snoke's guards.

So who fought Palpatine with her? Was it Ben or Kylo? Who gave up his life force so she could live? Was it Ben or Kylo? Or is there just this guy who was called Ben for a while and now calls himself Kylo? She wanted to smack her brain and tell it to shut up.

She guesses the real question isn't whether he is called Ben or Kylo or Zaphod Beeblebrox (where did **that** come from? She needs some coffee, stat.) The question is if she cares for him. Romantically. Does she want that sort of relationship with him? The man she sees every day? The man with whom she shares a dyad bond?

Before she can pursue this train of thought down the track there is a rapping on the door, and Maz's voice hollering "Hey lovebirds, if you want any breakfast you need to get a move on."

Kylo and Rey do not jump out of their skins but it's a close call. Kylo hurriedly releases Rey from his arms and she sit up and moves away from him.

"Ah, did you sleep okay?" asks Kylo. He is not sure what to say.

"Yes I did. Thank you." said Rey, embarrassed. "I'm going to get a quick shower." and with that she scurries into the fresher.

Kylo doesn't know whether to stay in bed or get dressed. What he does know is that the rest of this morning is going to be awkward.


	17. Chapter 17: Get Off of My Cloud

Kylo had just finished dressing when Rey emerged from the fresher, her hair still damp from the shower, hanging down just past her shoulders. She looks him up and down and says "Not bad. I like the ecru shirt and leather jacket. And the hat. The hat brings it together. Definitely does not scream Dark Lord."

[[_Oh Force, it hollers sexy though._]] {{_We really need to work on your shielding._}}

[[_You heard that?_]] {{_You were thinking loudly again. Plus, Force bond reinforcement._}}

[_[Maker. But you do look nice._]] {{_And your face is a pretty shade of pink._}}

[[_Was flirting part of your Supreme Leader training or did you learn it at Jedi School?_]]

{{_Uhhh, let's get some breakfast._}}

Rey laughed. It was fun to score a couple of points on Kylo.

As they walked into the cantina they saw Maz motioning them to a table in the back was laden with a couple of thermal carafes filled with coffee, bottles of water, plates with a variety of fruits and a tray full of pastries.

"Sit." said Maz as she filled her plate. " I have some good news. I found a slicer who can get us into the First Order system and out like a couple of Force ghosts. Her name is Rose Tico, used to be with the Resistance. I should have all the transfers made tomorrow."

Kylo poured coffee for himself and Rey. "That's great news." he said as Rey doused her coffee liberally with cream and sugar. "So tell me about the job you mentioned yesterday."

"There is a load of recreational pharmaceuticals that needs to be transported from Batuu to Cloud City on Bespin. They are technically legal to use in United New Republic territory but there is a high import tax on them. Something about discouraging the use by making them too expensive to purchase. I think it's just another revenue stream scheme but what do I know? I'm just a humble cantina owner." she smirked.

"Yeah, pull the other one Maz." drawled Kylo laconically.

Maz pulled out her datapad and transferred a file with the shipment information to Kylo's datapad. "The load is at Black Spire Outpost. You get half of the payment at pickup and half on delivery. You can pick it up tomorrow. It needs to be at Cloud City in the next 5 days."

Kylo opened the file, read through the details and then handed the datapad to Rey.

{{_Black Spire is a bit rough. It's good money but we can turn it down if you don't want to deal with it._}}

[[_I'm not a hothouse flower Kylo. I'm as strong in the Force as you are and I've beaten you twice._]]

{{_The first time I was fighting with a bowcaster wound in my side and the second time my mother called me through the Force and distracted me._}}

[[_Still counts._]]

"You know it's rude to have mental conversations in front of people who can't hear them." said Maz, amused. Rey blushed and Kylo smirked.

"This looks doable" Rey said, handing the pad back to Kylo.

Two standard days later they are on the return leg from Batuu to Bespin, 100 kilos worth of various recreational pharmaceuticals secure and the payment safe in an account under the name Rey Skywalker.

"Well, that was interesting." said Kylo. The Falcon had just cleared atmosphere and Rey had set a course to take them to the nearest hyperspace corridor.

"I'm not sure interesting is the correct word for potential chattel slavery." replied Rey. Her face was calm but he could feel her seething through the bond.

"I told them 'no' when they asked to buy you."

"Apparently saying 'No, I don't want to sell my sister today.' " wasn't a strong enough answer." growled Rey. "They tried to drag me off."

"You're right. I should have said 'This is my wife and she is not for sale.' " Rey shot him a glare that would have made Hoth feel like a tropical paradise.

"Why didn't you Force push them or do that thing where you make them unconscious?" asked Rey. " Were you itching for a physical fight? We could have attracted attention."

"We would have attracted more attention if a tall, dark haired man with a scar down his face started throwing the Force around." answered Kylo. "I thought it best not to start rumors that Kylo Ren was alive and at Black Spire."

"Good point." said Rey.

"Besides, we both needed the exercise."

Rey glared again, her left eye twitching slightly. "Fine. Joke away 'brother'. You can watch the controls while I take a shower and a nap."

"Yes, dear." he said with a grin.

A little over two standard days later Rey is requesting landing instructions from Cloud City Traffic Control.

"Cloud City Control, this is freighter Millennial Falcon, piloted by Captain Rey Skywalker requesting landing instructions."

"Acknowledged Captain Skywalker. Welcome to Cloud City. I'm transmitting landing instructions. You are cleared to land at Hangar 25."

"Thank you Cloud City Control. Landing instructions received. Millennium Falcon out."

"Cloud City Control roger and out."

As the Falcon descends toward Cloud City Rey is enchanted by the view through the cockpit windscreen. The gauzy clouds streaked with shades of gold, orange and pink were ethereal. It was like nothing she had ever seen. Granted, her experience with the galaxy was rather limited, but the descent into Cloud City was something she would remember and cherish.

Kylo is in the co-pilot position, assisting with the landing. The Falcon is a good ship but the control panel design does not lend itself to a single pilot, unless that pilot had the arm length of the average Wookie. Between them they bring the Falcon in for a pinpoint landing on the pad outside of Hangar 25.

Rey goes through shutdown procedure's and waits for a ground crew to hook the Falcon up to external power.

"Is the receiver going to come to the Falcon for their shipment or do we bring it to them?" asks Rey. Kylo checks the file Maz had transferred to his datapad and notes that there is a delivery address listed.

Rey pulls up a map of Cloud City on her datapad. "That address is 10 platforms away from here. It's going to require a scooter to get it over there."

Kylo nodded. "There should be something available in the hangar. Shouldn't take me more than an hour to drop the shipment and get back here."

"Excuse me, tall, dark haired man with a scar down his face. We're in United New Republic territory. You aren't going anywhere." declared Rey. "And don't argue with me!" she continued as his face darken a bit and he opened his mouth. "This is a risk we don't need to take."

"Fine. I'll stay here and look for an outbound shipment." he said grumpily. "Fine." she answered. "See if you can get something that takes us out of the United New Republic."

After a bit of research Kylo was able to find something that not only would be worth making a bid on, but was also absolutely legal. Rey would like that. He had just finished confirming the shipment details and a prepayment transferred to Rey's credit account when she came strolling across the tarmac, a satisfied look on her face.

"Everything go well?" he asked as she came up the boarding ramp.

"The nerf tried to short us on the payment." she replied. "He was much more reasonable after I left him dangling 10 meters in the air with no visible means of support." she grinned.

"Are you sure that was an ethical use of the Force?" asked Kylo, raising an eyebrow. He didn't have a problem with it but she was a Lightsider and that was pushing the edges.

"Yeah, I think so. He was trying to cheat us. I just helped him achieve clarity on why that was a bad idea."

Kylo filed that away mentally for later consideration. "I've found us an outbound shipment. It's a completely equipped medbay for a colony on Savareen. It should be here in less than an hour."

"Great!" chirped Rey. "I'll get the freight ramp down."

The shipper had the medbay at the Falcon and ready to load by the time Rey had the ramp secured. This was an area where Kylo had little to no experience and had to rely on Rey's instructions ("Get me that tie down strap. No, not that one, the one next to it. The one I'm pointing at. Now move the medbay 10 centimeters to the left. No, my left, not your left. You're not very good at this are you?"). Fortunately they had it secure before Kylo got to the I-have-had-enough stage.

Cargo secure, Kylo lifted the freight ramp while Rey went up to the cockpit to request departure clearance. As she passed the boarding ramp she was surprised to see someone standing at the top. A tall distinguished gentleman with dark skin, greying hair, and dressed in so much bling he was practically his own light source. Oh, and the cape. The cape had its own personality. The man had a cane in his right hand but Rey didn't think it was intended to be a weapon.

"I'm sorry if I startled you miss." said the man, "I called up asking for permission to come aboard but I guess you didn't hear me. I'm looking for a man named Ben Solo …"

"He's not onboard." she answered quickly. And this was when Kylo enters from the cargo bay. He stops and stares at the stranger, who stares at Kylo with a small smile on his face."

"Hello Ben."

"Hello Uncle Lando." replied Kylo cautiously.

"Okay, now I'm lost." interjected Rey.

"Rey, this Lando Calrissian, an old friend of my father. He's a foster uncle, more or less."

"A little less than more these days" responded Lando. " And this lovely lady?"

"Lando, this is my partner, Rey Skywalker."

Lando reaches out, gently takes Rey's hand and plants a kiss on the back. "Enchanté. Are you a long lost cousin? Or perhaps a sister?"

"Neither uncle." said Kylo. It's a long story and one we don't need to get into right now. Why are you here?"

"Apparently no one bothered to teach you manners when you were young."

"Uncle, you know about my upbringing. Now why are you here?"

Lando sighed. "A couple of days ago I got a comm from Peter Falkus, an Investigator for the United New Republic External Investigation Bureau. Asking for what I knew about Ben Solo. I didn't tell him much, just that your father was a friend and colleague, and that I hadn't seen you in years. I don't know what he knows, exactly, but he did ask to be informed if you came to Cloud City."

"Maz gave me a heads up that you had a shipment coming here. I've been watching for you. I wanted to make sure you knew how dangerous it was for you to be in United New Republic territory."

Lando's expression was serious. "Not many people many know that Kylo Ren used to be Ben Solo." He leaned heavily on his cane. "Pretty high bounty out on your head." He smiled briefly, a small smile with no humor in it. "I could be a rich ... richer man if I dropped a word in the right ear. But I won't. Mainly because your father's ghost would come back and kick my ass if I did. Partly -" and then he grinned "- because your girlfriend would Force dump me off one of the floating platforms."

Lando turned and walked to the boarding ramp. He stopped momentarily and looked back. "Take my advice - get out of United New Republic territory as fast as this old girl will take you." Kylo and Rey watched him as he walked down the ramp and away, their thoughts pensive.


	18. Chapter 18: Long, Long Ago

It was night shift on Day 4 of a long, boring run from Malastare in the Mid Rim to Lah'mu in the Outer Rim, a trip made longer because they didn't want to cut through United New Republic territory.

Kylo wandered out from the crew quarters onto the main deck. "Couldn't sleep either, huh." he said to Rey, who was sitting on one of the benches next to the Dejarik table.

"No, the bunk mattresses are too damn lumpy and uncomfortable."

"Yeah." Kylo yawned and stretched. "We're almost to the point where we can head to Corellia and do some repairs and upgrades on the Falcon. A couple more good runs and we might be able to renovate the sleeping quarters instead of just replacing the mattresses." He sat down next to her on the bench and watched her fiddle with her datapad. "Whatcha doing?" he asked. "I'm looking for a holovid to watch." she replied as she scrolled through a menu of offerings.

Kylo looked at the list and pointed at a title. "This one's not bad. It's a 'historical drama', which is a fancy way of saying it's a space opera."

"I didn't think you watched holovids." said Rey.

"I was at a Jedi training academy, not in a cave in the wilderness. Holovid night was one way Uncle Luke could keep a bunch of teenagers on task during the week."

"Ok, queue it up and I'll get us some snacks." Rey went over to the galley and clattered around a few minutes, then came back to the Dejarik table and handed a bag of white puffy stuff to Kylo. "It's called banged maize. I found it at a market when we made that run to Yavin 4." Kylo looked at it dubiously as Rey plopped down next to him and grabbed a handful. "Start the holovid" she directed.

"Fair warning, I will probably snark a bit." he said with a smirk.

"Well, so far so good" thinks Rey about 30 minutes into the holovid. There are space battles, a damsel in distress, a heroic farm boy, a scoundrel who's also a smuggler, and a really scary villain.

"So this is a historical drama, huh? What part of history?" she asks.

"I think it's a period before the Old Republic." answers Kylo. They watch a bit more.

"I'm not sure about the hand wiggling that old Jedi is doing though." says Kylo. "A good master can do the Mind Trick by barely moving a pinky."

"Kylo, we've been through this before. He has to make a hand movement that the audience can see."

"Well they could at least get the lightsaber fights right. You don't flail around like you're waving clubs."

"Kylo, just watch the vid. Here, have some more banged maize." He takes a handful.

"Not a lot of taste but it's hard to stop eating them." he says, reaching for some more.

"Oh look, the planet killer ship is getting ready to take out the rebel base." notes Rey.

"Yeah, this is a really good space battle." answers Kylo. "Looks like the scoundrel is bugging out. Smart man. It's not his fight."

"Disappointing, though." says Rey. "I like him."

"Just watch. He gets a second chance at being a hero."

"That's right, you've seen this one before."

As the holovid nears it's climax, the farm boy flies his fighter down a trough along the outside of the planet killer and makes an impossible shot into a tiny target that results in the planet killer turning into a rather spectacular explosion.

"See what I meant about getting a second chance at being a hero?" asks Kylo. "The scoundrel came back and provided air cover for the farm boy so he wouldn't be blasted to bits before he could make the impossible shot and win."

"I'm a little happier with the scoundrel now." says Rey. "He's going to be in trouble with the crime boss he was smuggling for, isn't he?"

"I suppose." replies Kylo. "Uncle Luke never did get the sequel for Holovid Night, so we never saw the rest of the story."

"Well, I think he decided it was worth the cost for a second chance."

"A second chance to be a hero or a second chance to catch the damsel's interest?"

"Kylo, I don't like it when you're this snarky."

"Sorry." he said a bit contritely. He reached over and picked up the datapad. "Maybe we can look for the sequel and find out." said Kylo, picking up the datapad.

"Later." says Rey, yawning. "I think I can face the crew bunk mattress again."

Kyo nudged Rey with his shoulder. "So what did it cost to buy me a second chance?"

"Not as much as it would have cost not to try." Rey replied.

"Was it worth it?" he asked cautiously. "Yes," she answered thoughtfully. She looked over at him. "Yes it was Kylo."

**Author's Note: Yes, I went there. It was fun.**


	19. Chapter 19: Force Users on the Run

It was early morning on the Great Mesra Plateau as the Millennial Falcon made her approach to Mos Eisley spaceport on Tatooine. "Mos Eisley Control, this is the Millennial Falcon piloted by Rey Skywalker requesting landing instructions." Pause. A longer pause. An even longer pause.

"Mos Eisley Control do you copy?" Rey is getting impatient.

"Howdy, this is Mos Eisley. I'm Joe. We don't really have a control exactly. Y'all just pick a hangar with an empty pad and set 'er down. Make your docking arrangements with the hangar when you get there."

"Told you," said Kylo. "They're really informal here."

"That doesn't make me feel any better Kylo."

"It is what it is Rey. My Uncle Lando used to call it the galaxy's armpit."

"I guess pick out an empty hangar and set down." said Rey, peering down through the cockpit windscreen.

"Pick one close to the Old Quarter. Our contact is meeting us at Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina."

"How about that one?" asked Rey, pointing down at a hangar with an open pad. "It will do." said Kylo.

They set the ship on the empty pad and shut down, wondering what happens next. After a few minutes an older man walks out of the personnel door of the hangar. . He has grey hair resembling a monk's tonsure surmounted by a dome of bright pink skin. He compliments that with grey and brown stubble covering the lower half of his face. His clothing can best be described as two steps away from the rag bin. To complete the ensemble he is wearing a blaster holster with a very clean, very shiny blaster nestled therein under a loosened flap. Rey lowers the boarding ramp and they go down to talk with this character.

"Howdy folks, the name's Joe. I can take your parking fee right now. I prefer cash but I'll do a credit stick transfer for a small handling fee."

"Are you the same Joe I talked to when I was requesting landing instructions?" asks Rey.

"Naw, that was my Cousin Joe. He keeps an ear on the comm stations in case someone comes along looking for the nonexistent Traffic Control. Like you two." Joe chuckles a bit as if he had made a clever joke.

"What is the parking fee?" asks Kylo dryly.

"And does it include ground crew servicing?" continues Rey.

"Just the parking fee." replies Joe. "If you want ground crew that's extra. And it takes a while to round up a crew so you would probably have to stay overnight. That's an extra fee too."

"Just the parking fee then." decides Kylo while Rey nods in agreement. Kylo pulls out a credit stick for the Bank of Naboo. Joe fritzes with his datapad a moment and then shows them the total. "What?" exclaims Rey. "That's highway robbery!"

"No ma'am," replies Joe placidly. "Highway robbery is when you take the road from Mos Easley to Anchorhead and you get hit by Tusken Raiders. This is a business transaction. Or you can move your ship and see if another hangar will offer you a better deal."

"We'll take it" said Kylo, handing Joe the credit stick.

"Pleasure doing business with you, folks." smiled Joe after the credit stick processed. "Y'all have till sundown. If you decide to stay longer I'll just add on another parking fee."

"Lando was right," said Rey as they walked into the Old Quarter. "Mos Eisley _is_ the galaxy's armpit. So where are we meeting our contact?"

Kylo points. "That cantina in front of us. The owners call it a 'colorful pubic house with a storied past.' That means 'seedy bar with shifty customers' in plain speak."

"I hope Symon is waiting for us" continues Kylo as they neared the entrance of the cantina. "I want to finish this deal and get the hell off of Tatooine."

"Why?"

"It's the galaxy's armpit. What other reason do I need?"

"There is that. So we're picking up a load of Shipstones for Maz right? And we are just getting paid costs, right?" asked Rey.

"Yep." replied Kylo "We owe her a favor."

Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina, while famous in the Outer Rim as a popular stopping point for pilots, smugglers, and bounty hunters, was not what one would consider a high class establishment. You could call it a dimly lit, seedy bar but that would be giving it too much credit. A small sign hung in the window next to the entrance proclaiming 'Han Shot First.' Kylo glanced at it, shrugged and muttered "Of course he did. He wasn't stupid."

As they entered the stuffy, dark establishment Kylo scanned the room for their contact. "There he is." exclaimed Kylo. "He's the bald guy leaning on the bar."

Symon Kinnan was an aggressively bald man who compensated for that with huge bushy eyebrows and a long, droopy mustache that would make Fu Manchu jealous. He was dressed in Mos Eisley standard - ragged shirt, torn jeans, scuffed booths, and a very well maintained blaster holder with a very clean and shiny blaster.

[[_Kylo, does he have creatures hanging from his upper lip?_]]. {{_Please don't make me laugh, Rey._}}

As they walk up to the bar Symon turns around and smiles at them. "Ben Solo! I haven't seen you since you went on that run with your Dad a decade ago! Get yourselves a drink and we'll grab a booth."

{{_Rey I would go with something that isn't alcoholic. Also, make sure you watch the bartender make it._}} [[_Maybe I'll just have some water._]] {{_Going for an expensive drink I see._}}

Kylo orders two waters and directs Rey to the booth toward the back of the cantina where Symon has taken up residence. He picked the booth with a small sign inscribed 'Han Solo Memorial Booth'. Of course.

Symon is drinking something dark brown with alcoholic fumes rising from the top of the glass. He tosses back his drink and refills his glass from the bottle sitting next to him.

"So," he says,"the Hutts are looking for someone to move a load of glitterstim. A big payout for the right person."

"Why don't you take the job Symon?" asks Kylo, sipping his water.

"You know I contract shipments, not move them." he replied easily. "Are you interested?"

"I wouldn't give the Hutts the time of day, much less move glitterstim for them."

"Ok, ok. Let's talk about the Shipstones then."

At this point Rey interrupts. "K - Ben, do you need me here? I'd like to refill some of our supplies before we head out."

"Naw, I'm good. Stick to the markets in the New Quarter. They have a better selection and you can talk them down easier."

As Rey heads out to the exit she hears Symon say to Kylo, "You found a real cutie. Are you …"

"She's my cousin. No touching, Symon."

As Rey steps out of the dark, dingy cantina she stops and blinks a few minutes to adjust her eyes to the intense sunlight. This place reminds her a bit of Jakku. Dusty, hot, with an unforgiving sun high in the sky. She's almost homesick.

As she wanders over to the market area she starts thinking about the Hutts and their glitterstim shipment. Granted, glitterstim is a risky thing to transport, but sealed and boxed up properly there should be no chance for it to get into the ship's recirculation systems. She doesn't understand why Kylo doesn't want to deal with the Hutts. Yes, they are a crime syndicate but everything she's heard about them is that they treat their smugglers fairly.

She left her datapad on the Falcon but she can access the holonet on her wrist comm if she needs to. Now where would the Hutts be located? A short holonet search directs her to the Desilijic Complex in the Old Quarter. Current head located on Tatooine is a Hutt named Rakka.

She thinks a little bit more. On the one hand, the shipment is glitterstim. On the other hand, they should make enough to put them over the top on ship repairs and maybe get that crew quarters upgrade they desperately need.

For Rey it was an easy choice. Yeah, Kylo might be angry with her but he can't stay mad forever, right? Just in case she raises the strongest shields she has and mutes the Force Bond. After all, no reason for him to know until it's a done deal.

She soon finds herself at the Desilijic Complex and after 10 minutes of waiting she convinces the doorkeeper to let her in for an audience. She walks down several dimly lit halls until she reaches what appears to be a throne room. There is a big slug like creature reclining on a couch at the top of a raised dais.

She clears her throat and says, "_**Rakka, clywais fod angen rhywun arnoch i symud llwyth o glitterstim.**_" (Rakka, I heard you needed someone to move a shipment of glitterstim.)

Rakka looks her over and says, "_**Wel, a phwy ydych chi, smyglwr bach?**_" (And who are you, little smuggler?)

She gathers her courage and responds "_**Fy enw i yw Rey Skywalker.**_" (My name is Rey Skywalker)

"_**Skywalker?**_" chortles Rakka "_**Enw o'r fath i gonsurio ag ef.**_" (Skywalker? Such a name to conjure with) He moves the fingers on one hand slightly. Rey gasps as one of Rakka's hanger-ons shoots her in the back with a blaster set on stun.

Rakka laughs loudly. "**Wel, bydd hon yn dlws hyfryd ar gyfer ein cyfarfod nesaf o'r Cyngor.**" (Well, this will be a lovely trophy for our next Council meeting.)

A couple hours later the Shipstones are at the Falcon and stored in the cargo hold. Kylo transfers the payment that Maz had sent with him and shakes Symon's hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you Solo." Symon says as he walks away.

Deal completed, Kylo tries to tune into the Force bond. Ok, he can feel her through the connection and she's ... upset? Can't get a feel for why. Is she upset about a bad deal at a market stall or is she upset because she's in danger?

He follows the connection through the streets of Mos Eisley until he reaches a walled compound in the Old Quarter. He curses under his breath. She was in the Desilijic Complex. He'd thought he had told her they didn't do business with the Hutts.

Suddenly he felt her talking in his head. [[_Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten us into Kylo._]]

{{_Me? Damnation woman, I said I didn't do business with the Hutts!_}} he replied indignantly.

[[_You could have explained why we didn't deal with the Hutts!_]]

{{_Well, once we get away I'll tell you the whole story of the idiotic plan my mother and uncle mounted to rescue my father from Jabba the Hutt. Oh, and why mother's nickname was Huttkiller._}}

[[_Huttkiller, huh. Well try to hurry up. This pleasure slave costume is beginning to chafe._]]

Kylo's thoughts sputtered to a stop. {{_Did you actually go to see Rakka Hutt wearing …_}}

[[_NO!_]] She interrupted. [[_One of his hanger-ons stunned me from behind. When I woke up my clothes were gone and all I had to wear was this damn metal bikini._]]

There was a long pause in the mental conversation. [[_Kylo?_]] said Rey worriedly.

{{_ mental image made my brain stutter._}} replied Kylo.

[[_I'm not sure how much I can do with the Force yet. They hit me with a pretty heavy stun._]]

{{_Why am I not surprised? I'm coming to get you._}}

He loosened the flap over the blaster on his hip. He was a decent shot, but he preferred a lightsaber. After this trip they really needed to find some kyber crystals.

{{_Did you tell Rakka you were a Skywalker?_}} asked. Kylo.

[[_Yes. Is that a problem?_]]

{{_The only people the Hutts hate worse than Skywalkers are Solos._}} he responded.

Well, if he wanted his bond mate back he was going to have to storm Rakka's castle. Alone. Without a lightsaber. The Force has a damn peculiar sense of humor. Well, if he had to do this he may as well do it with style. Just have to decide how much Dark Lord vibe he needs to throw into this situation.

Kylo stepped up to the door and banged on it loudly. Forcefully. After a few minutes a round scanner on a long steel arm pokes through an opening and demands "**_Pwy sy'n dymuno mynd i mewn i gastell Rakku the Hut?_**" (Who wishes to enter the castle of Rakka the Hut?)

Kylo grabs the arm and squeezes with the Force. The steel bends almost to breaking. Kylo says with a sneer "_**Dywedwch wrth Rakka fod Ben Solo yma. Dylai fy ngweld cyn i mi fynd yn ddig.**_" (Tell Rakka that Ben Solo is here. He should see me before I get angry.)

The sensor retreats into the door, which opens a few minutes later. Kylo strides down a maze of twisty passages, all alike. No problem. The Hutts use the same floor design for all their complexes. Plus he can follow the Force Bond to wherever they've stashed Rey. After walking down several dark hallways he arrives at Rakka's throne room.

Rakka is still sprawled on his couch on the raised dais. Next to him sits Rey with a completely disgusted look on her face. She is wearing said metal bikini with strips of burgundy silk threaded through the bikini bottom belt and draped in front and behind her body. She is wearing a golden collar that has a golden chain attached to it. Rakka is holding the end of the golden chain.

Kylo rolls his eyes. It's been 30 years since his mother was in this same position and the Hutts are doing the same pleasure slave with chain motif. He also takes a moment to remind his libido that this was neither the time nor the place.

He faces Rakka and says in his most insulting tone, "**_Rydw i wedi dod am fy nghefnder._**" (I've come for my cousin.)

"Nid ydych mewn unrhyw sefyllfa i wneud galwadau, Solo!" (_**You're in no position to make demands, Solo.**_) replies Rakka with a roar

Kylo hardens his tone and channels a bit more Dark Lord. "_**Rwy'n gofyn yn braf. Nawr. Ni fyddaf mor rhesymol os bydd yn rhaid imi ofyn eto.**_" (I'm asking nicely. Now. I won't be so reasonable if I have to ask again.)

"_**Nid wyf yn ofni amdanoch chi, Solo.**_" (I'm not afraid of you, Solo.) declares Rakka.

"_**Fe ddylech chi fod.**_" (You should be.) says Kylo darkly.

Kylo gathers a crap ton of Force power and launches it out around him in a Force push, driving hanger-ons and armed thugs into wall with concussive effect. Then he pops the lock on Rey's collar. {{_Take the chain and wrap it around Rakka's neck. Pull it tight enough to knock him out but don't kill him._}}

[[_I'm really pissed Kylo. What if I want to kill him?_]]

{{_If they have to take care of him it might slow them down. If he's dead they just scream a lot and try to chase us down._}}

Rey whips the chain around Rakka's neck, wraps the ends around each other and pulls with all her considerable upper body strength. Rakka gasps for air. His eyes bulge and his tiny arms reach for the chain around his massive neck. In a couple of minutes he's passed out cold.

Meanwhile Kylo is still Force pushing with one hand and blocking blaster bolts with the other. Rey jumps down from the dais, runs past Kylo yelling "Come on!" and heads down the hall. Kylo takes off after her, catching up at the cross hallway.

"Stop Rey! There's a door near this hall. Turn right!" He grabs her arm and hustles her along the hallway. "Ok, ok, it's right … here!" Kylo hits a section of the wall with a Force blast. The thin wall section crumples and sunlight pours through the hall.

"How did you know that?"

"The Hutts use the same design for all their complexes. They haven't changed a thing in over a hundred years."

They run through the hole in the wall and into a narrow alley. Kylo spots a hover scoot sitting unattended. "Come on!" he hollers to Rey. They run across the alley and hop on. Kylo hands his blaster to Rey and says "Keep them occupied."

"Keep who occupied?" she demands.

"Them." Kylo points at the thugs piling out through the hole in the wall. He reaches into the hover scoot ignition with a Force tendril and starts it with a roar. He guns the accelerator and they fly down the alley and onto Paradise Road, accelerating around the Jango Fett Arena and straight down Spacers Row.

"Faster! they're gaining on us!" yelled Rey as she shot the blaster at their pursuers.

"Careful with that!" shouted Kylo as he weaved through the heavy pedestrian traffic.

"I know what I'm doing!" she retorted as she picked another thug off of his scooter.

They roared past Straight Street and slid onto Kerner Plaza, desperately dodging rontos, dewbacks and more pedestrians. They had lost the majority of their pursuers, though two persistent thugs were still on their tail.

"Hold on!" yelled Kylo as he slides the hover scoot under the belly of a ronto onto Outer Kerner Way. As they fly by Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina they see Symon leaning against the wall near the entrance, watching them with absolute astonishment.

"Bye!" yelled Rey, waving to him and his mustache creatures.

As they barrel toward the Falcon Kylo asks Rey "How's your Force connection?"

"Better!" she replies.

"Good! Reach out and get the boarding ramp down!"

They roar up just as the ramp hits the ground. Kylo kills the engine and they both jump off and run up the ramp. "Hurry! Lets get her up and out of here" exclaims Rey. They jump into the pilot and co-pilot seats and run through the launching sequence. As the Falcon starts to lift Rey remembers the ramp is still down and hastily closes it. The Falcon tears through the atmosphere as it wings away from Tatoonie. Kylo hastily sets up the route to Takodana.

"I can't sit still! That was amazing!" giggles Rey. She jumps out of the co-pilot's seat and starts bouncing on her heels. "That was just like a holo-adventure movie!"

Kylo stands up and grins at her. "Yeah, I'm still vibrating."

Some impulses are hard to resist, especially when you are hopped up on adrenaline. Kylo looked down at Rey's flushed face, holds her shoulders, and kissed her hard, relief pouring off of him at their escape from the Hutts.

Rey, in turn, looks him in the eye and slaps him across the face, hard. "That's for taking advantage!" she snarled into his startled face. Then she grabs his shoulders, pulls him down and kisses him hard. "And that's for getting me out of there."

As she flounced back to the crew quarters to change Kylo is becoming more convinced that he will never understand the way women think.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Author's Note: I have to admit this is my new favorite chapter. :-) Comments are welcome!**


	20. Chapter 20: We Just Disagree

Maz Kantata sat at a table on an open air patio next to her famous cantina and dive. At the moment she was sharing breakfast with Kylo Ren while he recounted his latest adventure on Tatoonie.

"And then she decided to talk to Rakka about moving a shipment of gitterstim. Glitterstim! And she told him her name was Skywalker. Then she yelled at me for not telling her about the Hutts before she went to Desilijic Complex! She was supposed to be at the market in the New Quarter." Kylo huffed with annoyance.

"It sounds like you two had a bit of excitement." said Maz with a belly laugh.

"It's not funny Maz. I had to break her out of Rakka's complex. We had a hover scoot chase across Mos Eisley. Have you ever tried to slide a hover scoot under the belly of a ronto?"

"I can't say I have, Kylo. But you got my shipment and you got away from Rakka's goons. And if I'm not mistaken, you two had a bit of a bonding experience."

"Uh, yeah, it was a bonding experience." Kylo's face got a bit red. Maz didn't need to read his mind to know that Kylo was getting quite attached to the little Jedi. "Could you pour me some more coffee Kylo?" As he reached out for the carafe Maz him saw hesitate for a moment, then pick it up and smoothly filled her cup. Ah, she thought, I bet Rey just woke up. Looks like the bond is getting stronger.

When you have lived as long as Maz Kantata has you tend to look for things to keep the mind sharp and engaged throughout the long centuries. Maz's diversion of choice was people watching, particularly those wonderfully exciting humans who were force sensitives. As long as they could keep from accidentally destroying the galaxy they were more entertaining than a holovideo.

"So what's next for you and Rey, Kylo?" asked Maz as she liberally adulterated her coffee with cream and sugar.

"Not sure yet." replied Kylo. "We're staying out of United New Republic territory for now. We're also steering clear of the Confederation of Planets and United Planetary Systems. They both have extradition treaties with the UNR. Rey was not amenable to trying to stealth into either of those places."

"She threaten you with a lightsaber if you even thought about trying?" asked Maz, amused.

"Not at all." replied Kylo. "We had a reasonable, rational discussion." If you could call Rey ranting about potentially getting himself killed reasonable and rationale he added mentally. Rey was a lovely person and, of course, his bond mate. She was just very definite in her opinions. To be fair, he could be too. The push and pull could be simultaneously aggravating and profoundly appealing. Whatever else she was, Rey was no hot house flower.

As if thinking about her invoked the Jedi, Rey came walking around the side of the cantina toward their table. "Good morning." she said quietly. "Thanks." she added as Kylo handed her a cup of coffee.

"Good morning" said Maz as Rey sat down. "So you had some excitement on the Mos Eisley run?"

"Yes." said Rey quietly. "Maz, would you mind letting me talk to Kylo for a few minutes?"

"Certainly." said Maz as she stood up to return to the cantina. Oh yes, thought Maz, things are going to take a turn for the interesting rather soon.

Kylo watched as Rey sipped her coffee and waited. "I'm sorry." she finally said. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have gone to the Hutts."

"Yes, you could have gotten hurt."

"Maybe, but you could have gotten caught out."

"Caught out?"

"As Kylo Ren. You had to use the Force to get me out of there. If someone had made the connection between Ben Solo and Kylo Ren you could have been captured and sent to the United New Republic before we could stop it. I could have lost you, and it would have been my fault."

"We weren't caught. It's fine." replied Kylo.

"No, it's not Kylo. Every time we make a run you risk discovery." said Rey, leaning in and glaring at him.

"I think it's an acceptable risk." retorted Kylo. He was becoming irritated.

"No! No it's not!" cried Rey forcefully. "I won't risk losing you again. You don't understand what it did to me when you died. They want you to pay for Hosnian system. They want to execute you or, if we're lucky, throw you in a cell and leave you to rot."

"The Hosnian system was on Snoke and Hux." said Kylo angrily. "I argued against it. I lost."

"Doesn't matter." answered Rey. "Snoke is dead. Hux is gone. You're available."

There was a long silence. They sat there, neither wanting to look at the other. Rey sighed and reached a hand to Kylo's face. She cupped his cheek and gently turned his head toward her.

"So how long are we going to do this Kylo?"

"What does 'do this' mean?"

"You know, shipping and smuggling."

"Is there something wrong with it?"

"You know that all this is just something to earn a few credits and occupy our time while we figure out what the Force wants us to do." said Rey.

"Maybe there isn't an overarching purpose." replied Kylo. "Maybe we're just supposed to be ... whatever we want."

"Nah, we aren't that lucky."

"You've become rather snarky since we've been traveling together."

"You're a good teacher, Kylo." said Rey with a smirk.

Maz, with the finely honed instincts developed from nearly a millennia of people watching, decided that it was time for her to wander up and stick an oar in the conversation.

"You two sort things out?" asked Maz.

"Yes." said Kylo.

"No." said Rey.

Maz smiled and climbed up into a chair. "Kylo, pour me another coffee please." She fiddled a bit adding cream and sugar while she organized her thoughts.

She adjusted her glasses, looked at the two force sensitives and in a clear, precise voice said "You two need to stop screwing around and get your poop in a group."

Rey looked shocked. Kylo, however, threw his head back and laughed long and hard. "Direct and to the point." he said finally. "I like that about you Maz."

Maz grinned and drank her coffee. "Look kids, I've been around for a long time. As long as you don't do anything abysmally stupid the Force isn't going to let you go while it still has a purpose for you." She adjusted her glasses. "And from what I can see right now it's not going to let you two go any time soon."

"I don't know if I should be comforted or appalled by that statement." said Kylo. Rey elbowed him in the side, hard, and glared at him. He grinned back.

"Now, some practical advice. You're safe in the Mid Rim Confederation and United Outer Rim territories. Neither one has extradition treaties with the United New Republic. Just keep your eyes open for bounty hunters. I know either one of you could handle them easily but there's no need to borrow trouble."

She directed her attention to Rey. "What's your opinion of the Falcon? Han wasn't the best mechanic and while I love Chewy he just couldn't keep up with everything on the old girl."

Rey made a face. "She needs a major overhaul. Or replaced. An overhaul is just a hair less expensive."

"If we are going with repairs I want to go to the Corellia Shipyards." said Kylo. "I know Corellia is part of the UNR but they are most familiar with the YT-1300 series freighter."

"So it's settled then?" asked Maz. "Good. You two should get moving."

As they all stood, Maz grinned. "Just one more thing. I got a comm this morning from Poe Dameron. He and Finn are engaged. Make sure you get Rey back here for the wedding, Kylo."

**Author notes: Two chapters this week. This chapter showed up and demanded to be published. :-)**


	21. Chapter 21: Under Pressure

Freeport was one of those spaceports that attracted a variety of travelers. Located in the Mid Rim Confederation, it welcomed all comers, be they upright citizens or some of the more unsavory elements that roamed the space ways. And while Mos Eisley still undisputedly held the title as "the most wretched hive of scum and villainy" in the known galaxy, Freeport was a very strong contender and would probably take the title in the future.

Kylo and Rey have been here for 3 days, making repairs on the Falcon and scoping out the job boards for something worth their time. At the moment Rey is shoulders deep in disassembling an onboard condenser. She's hot, sweaty and her arms are greasy up past her elbows.

"That's a good look for you." teased Kylo as he came into the main deck from the crew quarters. Rey just gives him a side eye glare and whacks the condenser with a wrench. "It's dead, for a ducat dead. Sound taps."

"What do you mean dead?"

"As in nonfunctioning beyond any hope of recovery."

"Can we fly without it?"

"Sure. How long can you hold your breath? It's part of the air recirculation system."

"You could have just said no."

"Kylo, I'm hot, sweaty, covered with grease, and I've been beating on this damn thing for 2 hours. Don't expect sweetness and light today."

"Alright, alright." he says, holding his hands up in front of his chest. "Pax, ok? Do we have to replace the whole unit or just some parts?"

She frowned at the condenser. "By rights we should replace it, but if I can get the parts I can baby it along for a bit longer."

"I guess the old girl is showing her age. I checked her records once. She was put into service nearly a hundred years ago."

Rey grabbed a rag and started wiping the grease on her arms. It's a valiant attempt to clean up but mostly it just pushes the grease around. She glares at the grease, the rag, the condenser, and Kylo in that order. "Let me get cleaned up and I'll hit the salvage yards. You can find just about anything in Freeport."

"I'll head back to the Open Terminal and scope out the job boards again. Maybe I can find something worhwhile that isn't arms running or glitterstim smuggling."

"You're not going to let me live down Mos Eisley, are you?" grumbled Rey.

"Oh, I suppose I will." grinned Kylo. "Eventually."

"Smart ass." muttered Rey as she headed to the fresher to scrub off the grease.

"Meet for dinner later?" he called after her.

"Sure. Charley's Cantina in a couple of hours?"

"It's a date."

"We are _not_ dating." she threw over her shoulder from the fresher.

A few hours later Rey is back at the Falcon with replacement parts for the condenser. "The scavengers at this dump are lazy slobs." she grumbled. "It's going to take me hours to get these parts clean enough to install. Unkar Plutt wouldn't give a quarter portion for something this dirty."

She carefully lays the parts out next to the condenser, hits the fresher for a quick wash and heads out to meet Kylo at Charley's.

As she walks through the door to the cantina she looks around for Kylo. She spots him at a booth in the back and _Who Is That With Him?_ Why is he sitting with a woman? As Rey walks closer she looks the woman over with a potentially lethal stink eye. Holy Force, the woman is beyond beautiful. Long flame red hair, slanted emerald green eyes, pouty full lips, porcelain skin, and Merciful Gods, her figure! She makes Rey feel like a stick figure. She almost turns around and leaves but steels herself and continues back to the table. She has never run from a fight, and this one has the potential of being a doozy.

She reaches the table and stands there, fists clenched, glaring at Kylo. He's still in deep conversation with the … the … floozy and finishes what he was saying before he turns to look at Rey.

"Hi Rey. Did you find the condenser parts?" says Kylo. Rey nods. she doesn't trust herself to talk yet. Kylo tilts his head a little and looks at her some more, trying to read her mood through the bond. Why is she seething? "Would you like to sit down?" he asks.

"I suppose." she says sourly. She sits on the bench next to Kylo but puts a much distance as she can between them.

"Kateria," he says, addressing _that_ woman, "I would like you to meet my partner and friend, Rey Skywalker."

"Charmed." said Rey shortly. Kylo shoots her an inquiring look but she won't look at him.

"Rey, this is Kateria Ren. We were both at the Jedi Academy back in the day."

Oh, this is even worse. Not just a girlfriend, but a Force sensitive girlfriend.

"Hello Rey." said Kateria. "I've been looking forward to meeting you. Kylo has been telling me about you." Stars, even her voice is gorgeous, thought Rey in despair.

"Uh, well, Uh, Kylo, I think I'll just go back to the Falcon and work on the condenser. Let you spend time with your _friend_."

"Hells Bells woman, what's wrong with you? Did I do something wrong? Say something wrong?"

Rey just looks miserable and stands up. About this time Kateria decides to jump into the mix, "Rey, I know you are Force sensitive." She holds out her hand. "If you will take a quick look I think it will clear things up." Rey reluctantly touches Kateria's outstretched hand and concentrates. "Oh! Oh Maker, I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be." Kateria sighed. "It happens more often than I would like."

"You know, I'm completely lost." complained Kylo.

"Let me sum up for you." said Kateria. "I just let Rey see that you and I were work colleagues and platonic friends, nothing more. It helps when you can just show a few memories to explain."

"So did you just happen to bump into Kylo?" asked Rey, relieved that this beautiful woman was just a friend.

"No, I was looking for him. Fortunately, the Millennium Falcon is a very recognizable ship. I just waited nearby until I saw him." Kateria looked around, waved down a server and ordered drinks and a platter of sandwiches.

"Are you one of the Knights of Ren? I thought they wore masks and black from head to toe."

"I guess you could call me a former Knight." said Kateria. The server bustled up with the drinks and sandwiches so Kateria waited for him to leave before continuing.

"When Lemash Ren told us we were being sent to Exegol to kill Kylo I said 'Bugger this for a game of soldiers' and handed in my resignation by stealing a TIE Fighter and taking off."

"I glad you made that decision Kateria." said Kylo. "I didn't want to kill you."

Well thank you, Kylo. I didn't want to die."

"So why were you looking for me?" asked Kylo.

"I wanted to pass along a warning." Kateria replied."You and I were best buds at the Academy, and you always treated me well when we were with Snoke. Hell, you took some of my punishments from the old bastard - and you didn't have to do that."

"So a warning. You can't hide under the name Ben Solo very much longer. Someone from the First Order knew your original name and has been pushing it hard as a 'reliable rumor' to the right people." Kateria paused to take a drink and a bite of a sandwich. "My girlfriend's a bounty hunter and the price for bringing you in alive is up to a ridiculous amount. The price for you dead isn't as much, but it's still enough to make anyone comfortable for quite some time."

At this Rey goes cold. She couldn't lose Kylo again.

"One more piece of advice," continued Kateria, "You need to do something about the Millennium Falcon. Getting a splicer to alter the ship signature might help for a while, but the hunters chasing you know what the old girl looks like." She finishes her drink and stands up. "Loorie, my girlfriend, has agreed to let you alone while you are at Freeport, but when you leave you will be fair game. I'm not helping her on this one - for old times sake."

She smiles at Rey, gives Kylo a friendly peck on the cheek, and strolls out of the cantina, the sway in her walk attracting male eyes from every corner of the room.

"She is a very beautiful woman." said Rey quietly.

"So are you, Rey." said Kylo with a smile. "Let's finish up here and get back to the ship."


	22. Chapter 22: Spice, Spice Baby

Kylo Ren is a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them. Which is why he waited until they had cleared Freeport's atmosphere to enter the coordinates to the Hydian Way hyperspace lane that would be the first leg of the trip that would take them to the Core. He did, however, underestimate Rey's reaction to taking a shipment destined for Coruscant.

"Coruscant? Coruscant! Dammit Kylo Ren, do you have a death wish? Why don't you just do a fan dance on the floor of the Senate while you're at it?"

"I knew you would overreact. That's why I waited to tell you." said Kylo, relatively calmly.

"This is not overreacting. You haven't seen anything close to overreacting yet."

"Did you see how much we're getting to deliver this stuff? A shitload of credits. We're at the point were we need to rebuild or retire the Falcon. This will put us over the top with credits to spare."

"Really, for a lousy spice shipment? I knew we did some smuggling but when did we become drug runners?" growled Rey.

"It's not spice. It's Spice."

"What's the difference?"

"Besides a capital 'S'? It's formal name is Melange, it originates outside the galaxy, and it's not illegal to transport or use. It's also worth four times it's weight in kyber crystals."

Rey looked at the box in the back of the cockpit. It wasn't very big or heavy. It was locked and the edge between the top and the rest of the box was sealed with some sort of solder. Someone did not want anyone opening that box.

"What else do you know about it?" she asked.

"The shipper in Freeport didn't have a lot of information. They were just a transshipment point from Kamino, and Kaminoans got it from somewhere even farther beyond the galaxy. Some planet named Arrakis."

Kylo continued, "As far as the actual Melange is concerned, it's a psychoactive drug that's highly addictive and it apparently mimics many of the abilities that Force sensitives possess. Withdrawal symptoms are a bitch - killer level. And extensive use will turn your eyes a bright, cobalt blue."

"Is that it?" asks Rey.

"Don't open the box."

"I would think that would be a given."

"It is. Don't open the box Pandora."

Rey allows herself to be mollified for now. She's still not happy that they are going into United New Republic territory but she reckons she'll deal with the fallout, if there is any, when they land on Coruscant.

After a couple of hours they were at the point where they would leave the Hydian Way hyperspace lane and hook up with the Corellian Trade Spine route. There was a gap between the two where the Falcon would have to travel through normal space, but that shouldn't be a problem. Pirates notwithstanding, the odds were pretty low that they would run into any.

Han Solo always said to never tell him the odds. His son felt the same way. He did, however, remember that just because the odds are low that something would occur it did not mean it would never occur.

Rey was back puttering around on the main deck when Kylo hollered from the cockpit, "Rey, get down here! We've got a situation."

Rey ran across the deck and skidded through the cockpit doorway. "Trouble?" she asks.

"Big time." replies Kylo, pointing out the cockpit window. In front of the Falcon was an armed light freighter, guns trained on them. Kylo had killed their forward momentum and waited for the freighter to make a move.

The control board signaled a communications coming from the freighter. "Do we answer that?" asked Rey. "We can't run with those guns on us." said Kylo as he initiated communications.

Static filled the cockpit, along with a voice that Rey found very familiar. "This Bala-Tik, leader of Guavian Death Gang. We have our guns trained on you, Solo. If you try to move we will blow holes in your flying junk heap and take your cargo after you've died."

"Let me talk, Kylo." says Rey as she toggles a switch on the board. "Bala-Tik, this is Rey Skywalker. I can assure you that Han Solo is not on this ship. I personally saw him perish on the First Order's Starkiller base over a year ago."

"I'm not interested in Han Solo." Bala-Tik's voice had an edge of derision as he replied. "I know he's dead. I want Ben Solo. Rakka the Hut is willing to pay a handsome sum for him. As long as he's alive it doesn't matter if he's damaged a bit."

"Could you give me a little time to consult with my colleague?" Rey asked, stalling for time."

"I will give you 5 minutes." said Bala-Tik graciously. Or as graciously as a professional criminal could be.

"What now Kylo?" asked Rey. "Are there any advance Force moves you can use on them?"

"What do you know about the freighter they're in?" asked Kylo thoughtfully.

"It's a Type C medium sized cargo freighter. Pretty common throughout the galaxy. I've reviewed the schematics in the past."

"Good. I want you to go down to one of the gunnery positions. Do you think you can reach out in the Force and find the circuitry for their weapons?"

She thought a few minutes. "Yes. I believe I can."

"Excellent. I'll respond to Bala-Tik while you fry the wiring to their weapons. When they are shut down you can shoot to disable their engines and I'll get us out of here."

"That might work." said Rey as she left the cockpit for the gunnery.

Kylo waited a few minutes and then signaled Bala-Tik that they were ready to respond."

"This is Ben Solo." he said. "I believe Master Skywalker and I will refuse your offer and resume our trip schedule."

"You're under our guns Solo. Rakka wants you alive but he's willing to accept dead. The sarlacc won't care either way."

{{_How are you doing?_}} [[_Almost got it. Give me another couple of minutes._]] {{_I'll try._}}

"Really Bala, do you think you could actually capture two Force users? Did you see what we did at Desilijic Complex?"

"Aye I did. Force or no Force I still have you under my guns. I think I'll keep the girl instead of giving her to Rakka. She'll make a fine pleasure slave. And when we're done with her I'll give her to Kanjiklub. Maybe they will count her against your father's debt."

[[_Got it. I'm really, really pissed now._]] {{_Just the guns, Rey. Leave life support alone._}}

[[_Spoilsport. Frying the circuits … now._]]

As the circuits fry Rey grabs the gunnery controls and focuses on the freighter's engines with the Force. Several pinpoint hits later it's disabled and floating helpless while Kylo dodges the Falcon around the freighter and heads for the Corellian Trade Spine.

Rey enters the cockpit, still fuming. "Pleasure slave! Not now, not ever. They're lucky I only disabled their guns and engines."

"When Bala-Tik hailed us you looked like you recognized his voice. When did you have a run in with the Guavian Death Gang?"

"It's kind of a long story." answered Rey. "When Finn and I escaped from Jakku in the Millennium Falcon your father's tractor beamed us into the heavy freighter he and Chewy were running. And then the Guavian Death Gang and Kanjiklub (which still sounds like a rave club and not a criminal gang) came on board and told Han he owed them money. And they were going to kill Han so we tried to lower the blast door to protect him and accidentally opened the ones where the rathtars were held and they started eating people and …" Rey stopped for a breath and Kylo put up his hand. "I think I can finish the story for you. That sounds exactly like most of my father's schemes."

He stood up and stretched his long, lanky frame. "We're almost to the Corellian Trade Spine. I'll get us into the hyperspace lane and then we can relax for a while." He got a mischievous look on his face. "Say Rey, do you still have that pleasure slave costume from Mos Eisley?"

And then he ducked.


	23. Chapter 23: Suspicious Minds

They're sitting at the Coruscant Spaceport. Kylo is delivering that shipment of strange spice, aka Melange, to a company in the Abroganto Scientific Research Precinct. Rey doesn't like being on Coruscant. It's in the heart of the United New Republic and not a safe place to be Kylo Ren.

She was busy finishing up on yet one more repair job on the Falcon and doesn't hear the person walking up the boarding ramp.

"You're a hard woman to track down Master Skywalker."

Rey jumps and turns to skewer the intruder with a jaundiced eye. It's that insufferable investigator from the United New Republic.

"Just earning a living like most of the rest of the galaxy Inspector Falkus." [[_Kylo, Inspector Falkus is here again._]] {{_Damn, persistent bugger isn't he?_}}

"I'm curious though, Master Skywalker. Why this? Why not serving the Republic as a Jedi Knight? Or training new Jedi? I'm sure the Senate would welcome your service."

"You ask a lot of questions Inspector." [[_Where are you?_]] {{_Heading back to the Falcon. About 30 minutes out._}}

"That's my job, Master Skywalker. Is Mr Solo still traveling with you? I have some questions to ask him about his recent trip to Mos Eisley."

"I'm sorry Inspector, he's away from the ship today. I'm not sure when he will be back." [[_Stay away for now._]] {{_Why? what's wrong?_}} [[_I need to get rid of snoopy butt._]]

"Oh, that's too bad. Could you ask him to contact me when he returns?"

"Certainly Inspector."

"Thank you Master Skywalker. Perhaps you could clear up a few things for me."

"I'm in the middle of some repairs but I suppose I can spare a few minutes" she said, wiping her arms with a rag.

"How long have you known Mr Solo? I know you said he's your cousin." asked the Inspector.

"I met him a little over a year ago. We had no idea that we were related until I helped him restore his memory."

"I see. And is he Force sensitive? I understand he studied at his uncle's Jedi Academy."

"To a certain extent, but not in the same category as Master Luke was." Rey ventured cautiously.

"As strong as you?" persisted the Inspector. "I understand you are a rather powerful Force sensitive."

"We haven't compared our relative abilities in the Force." she said dryly.

"If I could ask just one or two more questions - regarding the use of Force powers at Desilijic Complex in Mos Eisley, was that you, Mr Solo or both? A normal person would not be able to slide a hover scoot under the belly of a ronto without losing control of the scooter or hitting the ronto. Would you say anyone who could do that - say Mr Solo - would be a strong Force user?"

"Is that relevant? The incident was a misjudgment on my part due to my ignorance of past interactions between the Hutts and the Solo and Skywalker families." Rey is holding in her temper with difficulty.

"Well Master Skywalker, I've been apprised of a rumor that Kylo Ren was known in the past as Ben Solo, the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo. I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't pursue the rumor and ascertain it's credibility."

"I honestly cannot confirm or deny that rumor, Inspector. All I can confirm is that Kylo Ren fought at my side on Exegol and that he died from his injuries there." She is beginning to feel nervous and wary. "Are we about done? I've got to finish these repairs."

"Just one more thing." said Inspector Falkus, "You said that Kylo Ren fought beside you against the former Emperor. Isn't that out of character for the Supreme Leader of the First Order? Why do you think he did that?"

"I don't have an answer for you Inspector." replied Rey. "I suppose only Kylo Ren would know that."

Inspector Falkus, realizing that he would get no further answers today, bid Rey a polite good day after reminding her to contact him if she remembered anything else. Rey stood at the top of the boarding ramp and watched him walk down and disappear into the crowd.

[[_He's gone Kylo._]] {{_It's about time. So I can come back to the ship?_}}

[[_Yes. It's safe now, I think._]] {{_You sound pensive. What did he say?_}}

[[_I'll tell you when you get back. I've got a bad feeling about this._]] {{_Well that doesn't sound ominous at all._}}

By the time Kylo got back to the Falcon Rey was a jittery mess. As he stepped off the top of the boarding ramp and into the main deck he was hit in the chest by a guided Rey missile. She wrapped her arms around his chest and held onto to him with a death grip.

"Rey?" wheezed Kylo, "What the hell happened?"

"He knows, Kylo!"

"Who knows? Knows what?" asked Kylo. confused.

"Inspector Falkus! He knows who you are."

"Ok, back up a bit and give me the whole story."

"I can't … can't … lose you again." she starts hyperventilating. Kylo wraps his arms around her and feels her heart race as her body trembles. He thinks she's having a panic attack.

"Rey, breath. Slow deep breaths." He slowly lowers them to the deck, moving her into his lap and tightens his arms around her. "Breath along with me." He takes deep breath, slow and even as they sit there. After several minutes Rey's heart slows to normal and she breaths along with Kylo.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asks gently as she begins to calm down. She sits there, biting her lip and says "Easier to show you." She takes his hand and reaches through the Force bond to show him the conversation she had with Inspector Falkus.

"Son of a bitch" he mutters. Rey looks up at him, panic starting to fill her eyes again. "No, Rey no. It's ok. I'm here. I'm fine. I'm not going anywhere." He punctuates that by rubbing gentle circles on her back with his right hand. She's calmed down a lot but … it's kind of nice just holding her and he doesn't really want to get up yet.

"Do you think he saw you when you came back to the Falcon?" asks Rey.

"It's possible. It depends on whether he has someone watching the ship or not."

"Do we want to wait and see if he comes back?"

"No," Kylo eases her off his lap and stands up. He offers her a hand and helps her get onto her feet. "I want to get out of United New Republic space as fast as we can."

"I'll contact Coruscant Control and get us scheduled for an early departure slot." said Rey.

"The sooner the better." agreed Kylo. "I don't want to give Falkus a chance to get us delayed here."

"Where are we going?" asked Rey.

"It's time to talk to Maz again." replied Kylo. "We're heading to Takodana."

**Author's note - This chapter was complete so ... bonus post! Happy Birthday America!**


	24. Chapter 24: A Case of Identity

"Dammit Clouseau, when I send you to stakeout a suspect I don't mean stop at the DunkinGulp for 20 minutes on the way!" Senior Inspector Peter Falkus terminated the comm connection with a curse. The Millennial Falcon had been cleared for departure and long gone before Clouseau had reached the Spaceport. Skywalker and Solo had slipped away again.

If one wanted to come up with a single word description of Inspector Falkus it would have to be 'dogged.' When confronted with a tough mystery case he was like a terrier with his teeth in the neck of a rat.

Like this Kylo Ren case. He's pretty sure that Rey Skywalker is stonewalling 's no good reason for her not to cooperate. Kylo Ren was the top officer in the old First Order. She should be happy to assist - unless she knows something and is hiding it from him. Although, why she would be shielding Kylo Ren from the United New Republic? Falkus is not a Force sensitive and the motives of such strange people are a mystery to him. He picks up a datapad on his desk and pulls up the case file. He looks at it for a few minutes, thinking.

Then he comms his secretary and says "Gracie, could you do a data search on the name 'Rey Skywalker'? Yeah, try variations on the name. See if you can get anything from Organa's old Resistance group. Supposedly she was a member. Thanks Gracie."

He gets up from his desk and wanders down the hall to the break room. Coffee - he needs something to charge his brain cells a bit. He grabs the pot, fills a cup and takes a gulp. Ugh, how long was that pot cooking? The coffee in the External Investigations break room is never very good but this is a whole new category of bad. He frowns at the coffee and deliberately pours it into the sink.

As he makes his way back to his desk his comm unit buzzes. "Falkus here. Oh hey Gracie, that was quick. Ok, I'll check my datapad when I get back to my desk. Thanks Gracie." He makes a mental note to put an 'attagirl' in her personnel file.

As he gets back to his desk he makes another mental note to call his wife and let her know that he would be late again tonight. She's not been happy with his fixation on the Kylo Ren case. Liz has been threatening to take the kids and visit her parents on Corellia again. Ok, he has been spending a lot of time on this one, but if he can crack this and arrest Ren he's looking at a promotion and a really nice pay raise.

Ok, let's see what Gracie has dug up. Hmm, interesting. Rey Skywalker is also Rey, no last name, from the planet Jakku. According to an Unkar Plutt, junk yard owner and parts dealer, she was an orphan he employed as a parts scavenger in the so called Starship Graveyard. What else? Looks like she left Jakku over two years ago. Ha, she stole a junker freighter from Plutt. Did he file a theft report? Nope, no government on Jakku to handle that sort of thing.

What's this? She was spotted on Takodana shortly after in the company of the late Han Solo and a First Order deserter. Solo, huh? Coincidence maybe? Hello, here's a possible connection - Kylo Ren lead a raid on Maz Kanata's castle/cantina/hideout about the same time Rey was there. A trip to chat with Kantana might dig up some useful leads.

Falkus switches to the file on Rey Skywalker's time with the Resistance. Hmm, she was known by Rey, no last name, there too. When did she start calling herself 'Skywalker?' Is she in fact part of the Skywalker family? Maybe an unacknowledged daughter of Luke Skywalker? He'll have Gracie look into that but his gut tell him that a Jedi Master like Skywalker wouldn't have a by-blow hidden away. Looks like she didn't start using Skywalker until after the battle at Exegol. An acknowledgement of some sort of connection to the Jedi Master? Or perhaps to Leia Organa? She was a Skywalker also.

The file contains known associates she had in the Resistance. One name catches his eye - Poe Dameron. Talk about a lucky break. Dameron is working in this office as a junior inspector. Falkus decides to walk down to Dameron's desk instead of calling him into his office. A casual conversation may get more information out of him.

He stops by the break room, notices there's a fresh pot of coffee and risks pouring himself a cup to take with him. Dameron's at his desk. Good. Falkus strolls up. Dameron looks up. "Good afternoon Inspector Falkus. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I thought I would congratulate you on your upcoming nuptials. When's the wedding?" replied Falkus.

"Two weeks away" said Poe with a grin. "We're having the ceremony on Takodana. Finn insisted. First real battle we were in together. He's a sentimental softy."

"Big wedding planned? Liz and I had a small family gather when we got married." Falkus drinks some coffee. Bleh.

"Not too big. Mostly friends from our time in the Resistance." said Poe. "Rose Tico, Connix, Snap Wexley, some of the Black Squadron pilots, Rey."

"Rey's that Jedi girl, right?"

"Yeah. She and Finn were friends. I knew her but he hung out with her more."

"So what was she like?"

Poe shrugged. "She was ok. Kept to herself a lot."

"Not a very social person? Maybe it was a Jedi thing."

"Maybe? I think being around so many people made her uncomfortable. I remember stopping by her room a few times to ask her to join me and Finn in the ready room but she never wanted to socialize. I think she had someone with her sometimes. Heard her talking to someone she called 'Ben' but I never met the guy."

Falkus nodded. "Interesting."

Poe looked at the inspector quizzically. "If I may ask, sir, why are you asking about Rey?"

Falkus took another gulp of coffee. Ugh. Still horrible. "I'd like to talk to her about my current case. She might be able to clear up a few things for me."

"If she makes it to the wedding I'll make a point to ask her to comm you, Inspector."

"Very kind of you, Dameron."

"No problem Inspector."

A couple of hours later Poe is done for the day and meets Finn at their favorite corner bar. Poe slides into the booth next to Finn, who greets him with a kiss and a smile. He grabs one of the two pints of lager in front of them and takes a generous swallow. "Aargh, I needed that!" he says, putting the mug back on the table.

"Tough day at work?" asks Finn sympathetically.

"I hate desk jobs." gripes Poe. "I belong in a cockpit, not an office. Hell, I'd fly a prop job just to get back in the air."

"So what has you wound up today?" asks Finn.

"Nothing in particular." replied Poe. "Just everything in general. What am I doing in External Investigations? It feels like I'm there just because they didn't know what else to do with me."

"Well, you have to admit that you have bit of a spotty record when it comes to good decision making."

"There's that." Poe admitted. "Though I suspect the fact that I didn't actually resign my commission when I left the New Republic Space Command to follow Leia to the Resistance didn't really help matters."

"You do tend to let your heart rule your head." said Finn, patting his hand. "Lucky me." he added with a grin.

"Don't get soppy on me" smirked Poe as he took another pull on his lager. "Hey, do you still talk to Rey?"

"I get an occasional letter from her" answered Finn. "She kind of fell off the map after Exegol. Disappeared for months, then I get a note telling me she and her cousin were running shipments with the Falcon." Finn took a swallow of lager. "I'm not too sure, but she may be doing some smuggling on the side."

"My boss asked me about her today. He wants to talk to her. Something to do with his current case." said Poe thoughtfully. "I bet it's connected with smuggling."

"I guess we can ask her about it when she comes for the wedding." Finn finishes his drink and puts the mug on the table. "The drinks are good here but the food is a bit rubbish. Let's go find some dinner."


	25. Chapter 25: For a Ducat Dead

"I don't understand!" said Rey as she opened the cargo and boarding ramps. "Where's all this black smoke coming from?"

The Falcon was on approach to Takodana when smoke began to seep up from the smuggler compartments under the main deck plates. By the time they landed it had gone from seeping to billowing.

"Wiring? insulation? I'm not a mechanic so I can only guess." answered Kylo as he lifted deck plates and blasted fire retardant foam into the openings.

"As soon as the smoke clears out I'll go down there and see if I can figure out what caught fire. said Rey."

"I'll go talk to Maz and see if she has an open room we can have."

An hour later they were seated at a table in the back of the bar area. "Well, hit me with the bad news." said Kylo glumly.

"It's not all bad. Mostly it is just annoying." replied Rey. "Did I ever tell you about the Porgs that infested the island your uncle was hiding on at Ahch-To?"

"Maybe? Weren't they some sort of bird thing?"

"Yep. Short, fat, non-sentient sea birds. With big sad black eyes. Chewy tried to eat a couple he had roasted but couldn't when they others stared at him with those eyes. Eventually they infested the Falcon and made nests in every available nook and cranny. I cleared them out before I pulled you back from the Force but I had no idea how many nests they had left behind."

"So the smoke was from …?"

"Burning Porg nests. And feathers. and … poop."

"No wonder it smelled so vile. What started the fire?"

"Best I can tell, the Porgs were tearing out insulation to make nests, and they were chewing the wiring because that's what Porgs do."

"How bad is the damage?" asked Kylo.

"I'm not sure yet. I need to get back down there and look. Chewie let them stay in the Falcon for months. Not good, probably." answered Rey.

Kylo sighed and buried his head in his hands for a moment. He looked up at Rey and said "It's time to let the old girl go, Rey."

"I don't like that prospect, Kylo."

"We don't have much of a choice, Rey. The Falcon is old. Really old. Replacement parts are hard to find. The whole ship is showing wear and tear. We don't know how much damage the damn Porgs did. And my Dad made so many modifications and additions to the engines and weaponry there's no telling what's going to fail next."

Rey sat there drooping, tears starting to form in her eyes. "The Falcon is my home." she said softly. "My first real home. Jakku was just a place to wait for someone who would never come back."

Kylo looked at her, a bit perplexed. She needed something from him to help her get through this decision, but he wasn't sure what. Comforting people was a Light side skill. He was really good at breaking things, fighting, and tossing people into walls. Not so much on making people feel better. After a few minutes he scooted his chair closer to hers and put an arm around her shoulders.

"I really hate to ask this of you, but we need to let the Falcon go. It's too easy to recognize and it's showing it's age. Even if we got the ship signature changed it would only buy us a little more time. Sooner or later we'll have to deal with my past and the UNR, but maybe later would be better than sooner."

Rey leaned into Kylo's shoulder and started crying quietly. He tightened his arm around her and let her cry for a while.

"One of the few bits of useful advice my father gave me was to 'know when to hold 'em, and know when to fold 'em.' He was talking about sabacc and poker, but the principle holds for a variety of situations. We have to retire the Falcon."

Rey wrapped her arms around Kylo's chest. Her face was still pressed against him but her crying slowly stopped. Finally she lifted a blotchy, tear stained face to him and whispered "Ok."

Kylo looked down on her with a small smile. "Maz had an open room. Why don't you go lie down for a while? Maz knows everybody worth knowing. I'll ask her if she can help us get a line on a new freighter.

"Ok." Rey wiped her face, stood up, patted his shoulder and made her way through the bar to the door. Kylo watched her leave before he turned to the little orange woman climbing into the seat Rey had vacated. "Do you always know when someone wants to talk to you?" he asked.

"Of course." she replied. "And unless I misinterpreted your smoke signals you need to find a replacement for the Millennium Falcon."

"Got it in one, Maz. I think a VCX-100 may be a good replacement. If you could keep an eye out for us …"

"You may be in luck, Kylo. Let me make a few comm calls. If I find a match for you there will be a broker fee, of course."

"I expected so much. After all, we much follow the principle of TANSTAAFL."

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch." Maz agreed smugly. "Check back with me in a couple of hours."

With a few hours to kill and nothing specific he needed to do Kylo wanders back to the Falcon and starts clearing out the Porg nests from the compartments. It's a long, smelly, disgusting job. But he's got the compartments clean enough so Rey can figure out how much damage has been done. "I hope Rey appreciates the effort I'm making." he mutters.

As he's finishing up Rey comes walking up the boarding ramp. She looks at the pile of Porg debris and smiles up at Kylo, wrinkling her nose. "I'd love to show you my appreciation with a big, sloppy kiss but after you've had a chance to hit the fresher."

"I'll hold you to that." Kylo smirked as he walked over to the boarding ramp. "Meet in the cantina for dinner?"

"Give me a couple of hours. I need to call for a droid to carry out the trash. I think I can fix the damage, at least to the point that we can fly safely."

When they meet in the cantina Maz is waiting for them.

"You're in luck. I've found a ship for you."

"Excellent!" exclaims Rey.

"What's the catch?" asks Kylo.

"So skeptical you are Kylo Ren. This is a good deal." smirks Maz. "I found you a VCX-100 in good shape. It's registered under the name Ghost. It's one of the three that were part of the fleet that fought the Final Order at Exegol. Better sleeping quarters than the crew bunks in the Falcon and a galley that can hold a month's worth of supplies for a crew of 4 and 6 passengers. Additional armaments, but you might need extra crew to manage them. It's also got tech that makes it hard to detect."

"It sounds amazing, Maz." gushed Rey. "Where is it and what will it cost us?"

"It's in Cloud City, Lando Calrissian owns it." answered Maz. "He wants 125,000 standard credits for it."

"Knew there was a catch." said Kylo. "I don't think it's a good idea for me to go into United New Republic space."

Maz just smiled. "Here's the sweetener, Kylo. Lando is willing to let you have it for 50,000 standard credits and the Millennium Falcon. He says he's feeling sentimental."

"Lando used to own the Falcon." Kylo clarified for Rey. "He lost it to my father in a sabacc tournament back before the Rebels took on the Empire. He's wanted it back for a long time."

"So what do you two think?" asked Maz. "Lando can have the Ghost ready in 2 days.

"That's a reasonable prep time." commented Rey.

"My broker fee is 5% of the final price." added Maz

"That would be 6,250 standard credit?" asks Rey.

"Yes, and a bargain at that." replied Maz. "TANSTAAFL after all."

"We'll take it." said Kylo.

"Sight unseen?" asks Rey.

"Uncle Lando is a gambler and a scoundrel but he won't cheat us. I trust him, at least in this."

Maz hustles off to set up the deal while Rey and Kylo dawdle over dinner.

"Kylo, I have a bad feeling about going to Cloud City tomorrow."

"We'll be fine, Rey"


	26. Chapter 26: Something Wicked

Where was he? He had gone to sleep in the room they had rented at Maz's castle. Now he's freezing. And he's on something hard instead of a bed. Kylo opened his eyes. He was lying on a cold floor of black tile. He lifted his head cautiously. Wherever he was was dimly lit but he could make out ... blood red walls? He couldn't be in Snoke's throne room, could he? Wasn't that destroyed with the Supremacy? A dream - it has to be a dream.

At the far end of the room is - something. He squints, trying to focus. Black, massive. A throne? Yes. That figure sitting on the throne, wrapped in a gold robe. It can't be ...

**"Kylo Ren."**

The voice of Snoke reverberated through the room, shaking Kylo to his core.

Kylo pulled himself to his knees. "You're dead!" he yelled. "I killed you!"

**"My dear apprentice do you think you can be rid of me so easily?"**

"This isn't real! This is a dream!"

**"Is it? Foolish boy. You may think you're done with me but I will never be done with you."**

And then the pain began.

Kylo gritted his teeth as his muscles spasmed and his body twitched. He wouldn't scream. He wouldn't scream. He wouldn't …

His head started throbbing. The pain felt like knives going into his ears. He couldn't help himself. He started screaming, kept screaming until his throat was raw and burning. He curled into himself. The pain was so intense …

_Kylo! Wake up Kylo!_ _Wake up! Wake up Kylo! Please wake up! Wakeupwakeupwakeup!_

He heard the voice of Snoke again, booming, gloating. **"You are mine, Kylo Ren, to do with as I choose."**

He lifted up his head and squinted at the figure on the throne. It's left hand is raised, a ball of energy forming in the palm.

_Oh Gods, Oh Maker,_ thought Kylo in horror. _Not Force lightning. Anything else. _

The arm whipped back and then forward in a throwing motion. The ball of energy was heading right towards him. Before it reached him the lavender blade of a lightsaber moved in front of him, connecting solidly with the energy ball and lobbing it back at the creature on the throne. It connected with explosive effect. Rey stepped in front of him, facing the throne. After a few moments she deactivated her lightsaber and turned back to Kylo.

Kneeling in front of him, she grasps his shoulders. "Kylo, you need to wake up. Please love, wake up!'

His eyes open. He's laying down in a bed. Rey is kneeling next to him.

"Kylo, you need to wake up." he hears her saying. "Please love, wake up!"

He sits bolt upright, breathing heavily. He leans his elbows on his thighs and puts his throbbing head in his hands. "Gods Rey, that was awful." His body is still shivering and he is covered in sweat. Rey wraps her arms around Kylo and holds him tight.

"I heard you screaming through the Bond" she said, her head buried in his shoulder. "I tried to wake you up … you wouldn't wake up … so I tried to touch your mind through the Bond. The Bond kind of expanded and allowed me to enter your dream." She looks at him. "Was that real? It wasn't just a dream, was it?"

"I really don't know. Snoke was whispering in my head most of my life. Maybe this was something similar."

"All that pain. Did that really happen to you?" asked Rey.

"Yes." replied Kylo. "For years. That was a good portion of my training under him."

"That's horrible. Abusive."

"You're right. But he had me convinced it was the only way to train me to embrace the Dark."

"He shouldn't be in your head." said Rey emphatically. "Snoke is dead. I saw you cut him in half with my lightsaber."

"I just don't know!" he growled, looking at Rey. She looked back at him, unfazed.

"Sorry. I shouldn't yell at you." said Kylo, ashamed at his reaction. "i'm still shook up."

Rey stood up and lifted the covers. "Move over." she commanded. "You're not sleeping alone tonight.

"I'm fine." protested Kylo as she climbed into the bed.

"No you're not." replied Rey as she scooted up next to him and wrapped her arms around him. She reached out to him in the Bond, letting her Light and calm soothe his jangled nerves. "I'm not letting that monster crawl back into your head."

They lay there in the dark, their breathing slowly syncing. Their hearts beating at the same cadence. The Bond wrapping around them, Light and Dark weaving a cocoon of Force.

'Kylo," said Rey after a while. "I want to go to Ahch-To after we get our new ship at Cloud City."

"We can do that. Why do you want to go to Ahch-To?"

She adjusted her head on his shoulder and got more comfortable. "I want to see if any of the departed Masters would be willing to talk to us. There's too much we don't know - about Snoke, the Sith and the weirdness with Palpatine. Maybe they know something that would help."

"Maybe. But I really don't want to talk to Luke."

She chuckled. "Then I won't ask you to." She stretched up and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight love. I'll guard your dreams while you sleep."

Rey drifts off to sleep. Kylo takes a bit longer, thinking about how she called him 'love.'


	27. Chapter 27: A Morning After

It's early morning. Kylo is slowly waking up. He's warm, comfortable, and snuggled up with Rey against his chest and his arm wrapped around her. She snuggles back a bit and smiles in her sleep. Oh, now he's awake all the way. This is very nice, but what's Rey doing in his bed? When did she end up in his bed? Did they … he searches his memory. No, they didn't. He's not sure whether he should be happy or disappointed.

Back to the question at hand. He's pretty sure he was alone when he went to sleep. He lays there, careful not to disturb the still sleeping Rey, and thinks a bit more about last night. Oh, Oh. No wonder he didn't remember right away. That was one hell of a nightmare. She had to get in his head through the Force bond and pull him out of it. But was it just a dream or -

"You're thinking really loudly Kylo." muttered Rey sleepily. She stretches her body against him as she wakes up a bit more.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you." he says, trying not to react to the interesting messages his body is sending him.

She rolled over in his arms a bit and looked up at him. "We need to get up and moving soon anyway. So the question is was it just a dream or something else?"

"It wasn't just a dream." said Kylo flatly.

"What else could it be, Kylo?"

"It could be another Force sensitive getting into my head. I have really strong mental barriers though. It would take a lot of power to get through them."

"How much power?"

"You could do it. Probably. It's more of a Darkside skill. I could do it to someone. Several Dark Force sensitives might be able to work together and plant a nightmare in my head. Darksiders are mostly selfish bastards though. They'd need lots of convincing to drop their barriers and link voluntarily with another mind."

"So what do we do now?" asks Rey.

"Strengthen our mental barriers, watch and wait. Stick to our normal routine. See if we can detect other force sensitives nearby." answered Kylo.

"Do you think it might have been Snoke, Kylo?"

"Possible, but I doubt it. Getting bisected by a lightsaber is one of those things you rarely come back from."

Rey smiled at him. "You can let me up now Kylo." He hastily moved his arm. Rey rolled off the bed and languorously strolled across the room to the fresher. Kylo groaned and cursed his libido roundly. It's not easy being Rey's dyad bondmate.

A short time later they are grabbing a quick breakfast at the cantina. Maz wanders over to their table sipping on (of all things) a mimosa. "It's a little early for alcohol, isn't it Maz?" asks Kylo with an amused smile on his face. "Never a bad time for a little booze" replied Maz."It enhances my longevity." she added with a wink.

She takes a gulp of her drink and states without preamble "Inspector Falkus contacted me this morning. He's coming here in a week or two to talk to me about what I know of Ben Solo, Rey Skywalker, and Kylo Ren. I don't need to tell him everything but I'm going to have to toss him a bone."

"I thought you were our friend." said Rey, narrowing her eyes.

"I am." replied Maz, returning Rey's glare with placid eyes.

"She has to maintain her neutrality, Rey." interjected Kylo. "She's essentially a free port for everyone, so she can't pick sides, at least not obviously."

"What are you going to tell the Inspector, Maz?" demanded Rey. "Are you going to tell him that Kylo Ren and Ben Solo are the same person?"

Maz finishes her drink and signals for another. It arrives in minutes, this one garnished with a strawberry, a big slice of orange, a bit of kiwi, and a skewer of pineapple. "A little breakfast with my drink." says Maz with a grin. She carefully puts the fruit on a plate and takes a long swig of her mimosa. Rey begins to jitter in her seat waiting for an answer.

Maz turns to Kylo. "What do you think, handsome?"

"I think you know there's no profit in it for you to let that information slip to the UNR." replied Kylo. "Plus, you're willing to give me a pass for my father's sake."

"Mostly right." agreed Maz. "Theres that, and the fact that I've come to like you. And you take good care of your bondmate. Your secret is safe with me, though I think it won't be a secret much longer."

"Secrets tend to have a short shelf life." said Kylo. "I know I can't safely travel under the name Ben Solo anymore. And honestly, I don't want to. I'm not Ben Solo and haven't been for years. I'm Kylo Ren."

"I miss Ben Solo," said Maz, "but honestly, Kylo Ren, you've been a lot more fun to know since you quit the Supreme Leader gig and pulled the stick out of your ass."

"Really Maz?" drawled Kylo. "I'm sure I can call up some scary-as-shit Dark Lord vibe if I want."

Maz laughed and patted his hand. "You are an absolute treasure, Kylo. Life has been quite entertaining with you and Rey around."

Kylo nodded in acknowledgement. "I like you too, Maz. You're as much a scoundrel as your clientele but I'm not troubled by that. Takodana has been a good homebase for us but it's not safe anymore for us to come here regularly. Too many people know we do that."

"Well, I'm going to miss you kids. When are you leaving?"

"As soon as I finish my preflight check on the Falcon." replied Rey. "Maybe 2 hours. We're planning to be back for Poe and Finn's wedding though."

"Come a little early. I intend to dress you to the nines my girl." says Maz with a grin and a chuckle.

She turns to Kylo. "Give my regards to your Uncle Lando. Tell that old scoundrel he owes me a visit."

"Will do, Maz." said Kylo.


	28. Chapter 28: Just a Dream

She opened her eyes. Where was she? They were on their way to Cloud City. She had been on the Falcon's main deck just a minute ago. Sat down and closed her eyes ...

Did she fall asleep? Is this a dream? She looked around. It looked like she was lying on the floor of some sort of gigantic cavern. She gets up on her knees and sits back on her heels. This place feels familiar. Dim, spooky, really Dark. It smells like sulfur, blood, and decaying flesh. It's giving her the creeps.

She looks around and sees - something, she's not sure - a chair? a throne? - in front of her. It looks like it has a life support system for the figure sitting on it. Suddenly she realizes where she is, what the chair is, and who is sitting there. The grey crepey skin, the rheumy white eyes, the veined bald head, the air of decay and corruption - the whole disturbing, disgusting presence that screamed 'Undead! Undead!'

Emperor Sheev Palpatine, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

**"Ah, my dear granddaughter. So kind of you to visit."**

"No!" cries Rey. "This isn't happening! This isn't real!" She looks around. How did she get here? Where are Luke and Leia's lightsabers? Where is Kylo? Why can't she feel the Jedi who supported her?

**"Are you certain of that my dear?"**

No, she isn't. It looks real, feels real. Oh Gods, maybe it _is_ real.

**"And now, granddaughter, it's time to fulfill your destiny."**

Rey's fear increases as the creature floats off the chair and comes toward her. She tries to move but can't. She's frozen in terror. The Emperor stretches out a hand toward her face. She tries to scream but her throat closes up as the hand gets closer.

**"You are mine, Rey Palpatine, to use up and discard as I choose."**

As her fear and terror spike, a figure steps in front of her holding two crossed lightsabers, one lavender and one deep amethyst. Kylo Ren is standing between her and Darth Sidious. "Rey!" he says urgently, "Wake up! This isn't real!"

As the Emperor unleashed Force lightning at the dyad Kylo catches it on the lightsabers and sends it back at the disgusting creature. Palpatine is thrown back into the chair, which breaks loose and flies back into the cavern. Kylo deactivates the lightsabers, kneels down in front of Rey, wraps his hands on her shoulders, and squeezes them. "Rey, wake up! Come on sweetheart, wake up."

She opens her eyes. She's sitting on one of the benches at the Dejarik table. Kylo is sitting next to her squeezing her shoulders. "Rey, wake up! Come on sweetheart, wake up." she hears him say.

She takes a deep sobbing breath. "Gods Kylo!" she moans and drops her head into her hands. He gently pulls her to his chest and she wraps her arms tightly around him. "Just breathe with me Rey."

"I was so scared."

"Me too." he murmured, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I felt how scared you were through the Force bond. Found you back here asleep. I didn't try to wake you up, just used the bond to enter your dream, like you did for me."

"Why is this happening to us? Who is doing this to us?" Rey shivered in Kylo's arms as she tried to get control of her emotions.

"I don't know who. As for why - somebody is afraid that we'll interfere with whatever they're doing. You're a dangerous woman, Rey Skywalker."

"You're pretty dangerous yourself, Kylo Ren."

"You were right a couple of months ago, Rey."

"How's that Kylo?"

Kylo smiled. "You told me that what we were doing with the Falcon was 'just something to earn a few credits and occupy our time while we figure out what the Force wants us to do.' Looks like the Force has a job for us to do."

"It was fun while it lasted," said Rey wistfully.

"I know." agreed Kylo, "Though I never want to slide a hover scoot under a ronto's belly again."

They sat together for a while, letting the tension of the nightmare drain away. Then Rey sat up and pushed herself away from Kylo.

"The Emperor called me his granddaughter in the nightmare. Just as he did at Exegol. Does that mean I lean to the Dark Side? Do you think I might turn someday? Become evil, like him?"

"No.," said Kylo emphatically. "Your family doesn't determine how you will relate to the Force. That's on you. Hell, if family ties decided whether someone is a Lightsider or Darksider then I should be a super Jedi with Light blasting out of every orifice. Luke was Light. Leia was Light. Hell, even Anakin returned to the Light at the end."

"But I'm a Palpatine. I'm not a Skywalker, even if I call myself one."

"I don't believe it," said Kylo flatly. "I don't believe you are a Palpatine. I don't think he knew you existed until you had an awakening in the Force. He found me first and tried to corrupt me and use me. It was only after I killed Snoke and became my own master that he started looking for someone like you."

"With all his power and available forces, I have trouble believing he couldn't find you on Jakku if he had been looking for you. I think he became aware of you when the Force manifested in you on Starkiller. You were shining like a bloody signal flare."

"But I had bits of memories." protested Rey. Everything points towards me being Palpatine's granddaughter."

"Rey, the Sith lie. Powerful Sith can plant memories. I want more than the word of a decaying zombie Emperor before I'll agree you are a Palpatine."

"You may be right, Kylo." Rey said thoughtfully.

"Of course I am," he smirked. "And another thing. I'm the last living Skywalker. You are the bondmate of the last living Skywalker. Therefore, I can give you the name."

He gives her a kiss on the cheek. "Welcome to the family, Rey Skywalker."


	29. Chapter 29: Adiós Millennium Falcon

Rey sat in the pilot seat of the Millennium Falcon as they traveled through hyperspace en route to Cloud City and watched the iridescent blue streaks of stars in the cockpit windows. She had a lot on her mind. The nightmare worried her. She thought she had strong mental barriers in place but apparently whoever had invaded her mind had blown through them like tissue paper.

It made her feel very vulnerable. Thank the Maker for the Force bond. And that Kylo figured out what was going on so quickly. Still, she wasn't sure why she fell asleep. She had been reviewing the list of items they were going to take when they exchanged the Falcon for the Ghost, and the next thing she knew she was sitting on one of the couches at the Dejarik table and Kylo was kneeling in front of her telling her to wake up. Maybe she was more tired than she realized?

While she sat there ruminating she felt Kylo walk into the cockpit and flop into the copilot seat. "Done," he said. "Everything we want to take is packed and sitting in the main cargo bay."

"Even the indecipherable Jedi texts I liberated from Luke?" asked Rey.

"I was tempted to space them out the airlock but yes, even the indecipherable Jedi texts."

They sat there for a minute, watching the stars go by. Then they both said, "We need to talk."

"Me first," said Rey

"Why?" asked Kylo.

"Because if I don't say it now I won't be able to say it later."

"Okay, go ahead," Kylo said, smiling indulgently.

Rey took a deep breath. "We need to start sleeping together."

Kylo looked shocked. "Say what?"

"Not like that!" exclaimed Rey. "Just sleeping, okay?"

"And you are suggesting this because …?"

"Remember your nightmare a couple of nights ago?"

"Like I could forget that," said Kylo dryly.

"Well, after I got next to you in bed the bond helped create a really strong Force barrier. I think the fact that we were touching made the difference. So, logically, we need to be touching each other while we sleep to keep the nightmare attacks away."

Kylo scratched his cheek and thought for a bit. "I guess we can give it a try."

"And I know you will be a perfect gentleman about it." said Rey sweetly. He just sighed.

"Your turn."

"Okay," said Kylo. "We need lightsabers. We are going to be fighting other force users. Lightsabers are precise and deadly, not as clumsy or random as a blaster. The sabers we used at Exegol were good solid weapons. Did you leave them there or hide them somewhere else?"

"Actually," responded Rey, "I buried them on Tatooine."

"You did what?" exclaimed Kylo.

"I took Luke and Leia's lightsabers and buried them near the old moisture farm on Tatooine."

"Why? Why would you do that?"

"I wanted to honor them by returning the sabers to their home."

"Luke hated that moisture farm. And my mother never lived there."

"I never claimed I was thinking clearly. This happened a couple of months after you disappeared into the Force." She hesitated and said, "Remember me telling you about my long chat with my lightsaber?"

"Oh ... Oh. Maker, Rey. I'm not criticizing you. I'm sorry."

They looked at each other for a moment.

"We could have reused the kyber crystals though." sighed Kylo.

"Hold that thought." Rey darted back to the crew quarters and returned a few minutes later with her knapsack. She sets it on the floor, opens it, rummaged around for a moment, and pulled something out. Opening her hand, she showed Kylo two faintly glowing kyber crystals. She smiled. "I am a scavenger, Kylo."

He smiled back. "I think I can find all the components we need at Cloud City to build the hilts. We can meditate on the crystals when we get to Ahch-to." He looked over at Rey. "I'll explain the procedure when we get to Ahch-to. For now, we need to focus on the swap with Lando."

A short time later the Millennium Falcon is dropping out of hyperspace a short distance from Besipn and Cloud City. Rey turns to Kylo in the pilot's seat and says "We're close enough to comm Lando for landing instructions. You want me to do that. Kylo?" "Go ahead," he replies. "No need to tell everyone on a public channel that Kylo Ren is here."

She keys in the frequency and sends a query to Calrissian Enterprises. In short order, they hear Lando's voice saying "Well hello lovely lady." "Hello Lando," says Rey." Do you have landing instructions for me?" "Of course my dear," he replies and rattles off the coordinates to his private hangar. "I look forward to being graced by your loveliness." "See you shortly. Falcon out" said Rey noncommittally.

An hour later Kylo set the Falcon down on the designated landing area in the Calrissian Enterprises complex. There is a VCX-100 light freighter sitting on the adjoining pad. "Is that ours?" asks Rey. "It will be shortly," said Kylo as he opened the boarding ramp.

As they walk down the ramp Lando comes out of a nearby hangar to greet them. As he comes up to Rey he takes her hand and kisses the back. "Mademoiselle Skywalker, you are more beautiful every time I see you." Kylo fidgets. "We don't want to spend too much time here, Uncle."

"Patience Ben. Indulge an old man just a bit."

"I'm not hiding under the name Ben Solo any more, Lando."

"Kylo, then. The paperwork is in my office and ready to sign. Do you have the payment?"

"Right here," said Kylo, taking a credit stick out of his pocket.

"And the Falcon? Is it in good condition?"

"As good as can be expected," answered Rey. 'I've been keeping up with repairs but it sat in the weather on Jakku for years."

"I'm sure Maz told you it would need extensive renovations when she brokered our deal, Uncle," interjected Kylo.

"She did." agreed Lando. "I'm just happy to have my baby back from you Solos. I'll take care of her." He turns toward the hangar. "Let's take care of business. And after that, I'll tell you a bit of the history of the Ghost and her storied captain, Hera Syndulla."

As they walked toward Lando's office Rey is a mix of emotions. She's going to miss the Falcon, her first real home. At the same time, they are turning a page with a new freighter that will soon, perhaps, be a home for the two of them.


	30. Chapter 30: The Game's Afoot!

"Ok. Ok. Ok. Thanks, Gracie. No, tell Lestrade to write up a report with the details. No, tell him not to attempt to follow Skywalker and Solo. With his luck he'd get bisected with a lightsaber. I don't care if he was an important person in the Resistance. Yes, tell him to get a statement from Lando Calrissian if he will give us one. And tell him to get the details on the new freighter." Senior Inspector Peter Falkus terminates the comm connection with a sigh, wondering for the umpteenth time whether he's getting too old for this shit.

It wouldn't be so bad if there had been more experienced officers left in the bureau after the Hosnian Cataclysm. Some of the best were stationed on Hosnian Prime. Falkus was good at his job, one of the best, but he was deficient in schmoozing and buttering up the powers-that-be. That might be a blessing in disguise. He's still around and not a gently expanding bit of dust.

He sighed again. Some of the Resistance retreads like Poe Dameron seem to be working out. Unfortunately, too many of them are of the undisciplined shoot-from-the-hip-ask-questions-later school of investigation. Most of them lacked respect for the chain of command and had little inclination to follow orders - overall they were mostly a pain in the keister. Dameron has the potential to be an excellent investigator if he could only get his damn head out of the clouds. Ok, so he was the best pilot in the Resistance. These days that and 5 credits could get you a cup of coffee at DunkinGulp.

Speaking of coffee … time to play 'drinkable or liquid crap?" with the coffee in the break room. He pushed his chair back from his desk and meandered down the hall. As he walked in he spied Dameron sitting at the one table in there, a cup of coffee in front of him, and a comm unit jammed in his ear.

"Look, I've got it all under control. Yes, I sent out invitations. Rey? No, I don't have a holomail address for her. You can take care of that? Good, thanks, sweetie. Yes, I just finished talking to Maz. How much will it cost? A little more than we planned but you're worth it. Yep, see you after work. Love you too, Finn."

Falkus poured himself a cup of coffee and took a sip. Yep, liquid crap again. He walked over to the table.

"Mind if I join you, Dameron?"

"Not at all Inspector Falkus."

He pulled out a chair, sat down, and took a gulp of coffee. "Coffee's up to its usual break room standard."

Dameron took a swig of coffee and grinned. "Could be worse. This is better than the stuff we drank at D'Qar or Ajan Kloss. Now there's a brew that could honestly be classified as swill."

Falkus lifted his cup to take a sip, thought better of it, and put the cup back on the table. "So how are the wedding plans coming along?" he asked, making conversation.

"One massive headache after another. It would be easier if Finn would agree to have the ceremony on Coruscant but he wants to have it at Takodana. It's kind of where we met. Well, we actually met in the detention center of the First Order ship Finalizer but who wants a wedding there?"

"I can see your point." agreed Falkus.

"By the way," said Dameron, "Did you get your invitation to the wedding?"

"Yes, I did. Liz is off at her mother's on Corellia. I would like to bring a friend if you don't mind."

"Of course Inspector." Dameron gave him a side-eye. "Girlfriend?"

"No, work colleague. She would enjoy a trip off-planet and to be honest I like having someone to talk to when I have to travel through hyperspace."

Dameron finished his coffee and stood up. "Well, back to the grind. I'm almost done with the report on that Melange shipment Praxis Pharmaceuticals received a couple of weeks ago. I'll leave it with Gracie when I finish."

Falkus also stood up as Dameron left. He discarded his cup and walked out of the break room. Time to talk to his 'work colleague.'

An hour later he was standing in front of an office located in an older section of Coruscant. It's in a brownstone that probably dated back to before the Empire was a going operation. He opened the door and stepped into a reception area presided over by an elderly woman dressed in an outfit that went out of style 30 years ago, silver hair in an elaborate bun. "Hi, Miz Megan. Is Dr. Galen available?"

She looked down her nose at Falkus, peering through a pair of bifocals as she examined him for worthiness. "Let me check her schedule." She pulls up a file on her datapad and scans down the information. "She's between appointments. I'll inquire." She gets up from her desk and walks to a door to her left. She opens it and walks through. A few minutes later Falkus hears another voice saying "Of course Megan. I'll see him."

"Peter, you old nerf herder. Come on in!" the voice is louder and cheerful.

Falkus walks through the door. "Hiya doc! How's tricks?" he says to the woman sitting behind the desk. Aurelia Galen is older but not as old as Megan. Close to Falkus' age. Her hair is a salt and pepper mixture, heavy on the pepper, and held back in a neat bun. She's as close to nondescript as one can get to a standard human. Not too short or too tall, neither overweight nor skinny, attractive but not beautiful, voice pleasant but not distinctive. It's only when you look into her eyes does one see shrewdness, intelligence, and that special something that only a Force sensitive would recognize as a fellow traveler.

"Sit Peter, sit," she says, pointing to a comfortable chair near the desk. "Coffee?"

"Please."

"Megan, could you bring us a couple of coffees? Black for the Inspector, cream in mine."

They make desultory small talk until Megan brings in the coffee, sets it down, and leaves, closing the door behind her.

Galen stares at Falkus, sipping her coffee.

"This is good, Lia. The stuff at the office is bantha spit quality."

"I'm not reading your thoughts, Peter. You're going to have to articulate your request."

"Fine." He puts his coffee down. "I have a suspect I would like you to read. He's off-planet, but I know where he is going to be in the next two weeks. I believe he was involved in causing the Hosnian Cataclysm but I need something solid before the UNR can make a move on him.

"Who is it? Armitage Hux?"

"No, I still can't find that son of a bitch. It's Kylo Ren."

"Are you nuts? Kylo Ren is incredibly powerful in the Force. And he knows how to use it."

"You're a strong Force sensitive."

"Not that strong! He's almost off the scale. There's no comparison."

"Have you ever met the man?"

"If I had I wouldn't be here talking to you. He was known as the Jedi Killer. He went after Force sensitives - didn't matter if they were Jedi or not. He's dangerous."

"He's traveling with a Jedi these days. Her name is Rey Skywalker, at least that's what she's calling herself. She's also known as Rey, no family name, from Jakku. She has either calmed him down or has him under control with the Force. They've been traveling around in that piece of junk Han Solo used to run contraband. He's calling himself Ben Solo."

"Leia Organa said that her son, Ben Solo, died when Skywalker's Jedi Academy went up in flames. Are you suggesting she lied?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. There's a rumor out that Ren and Solo are the same person."

"Still doesn't change the fact that he's dangerous. If it is Ren."

"Come on Lia. You know that your reads are accepted as evidence in a court of law. If this pans out we can get some justice for the Hosnian Cataclysm. Isn't that worth taking a risk?"

"If I do this Peter I want something in writing. And I want it from the top, not from a lower level flunky. You get me authorization signed by the First Senator and I'll do it."

"It will take some arm twisting but you'll get your authorization."

"In writing, Peter."

"Signed, sealed, and delivered, Lia."

"Send me the details with the authorization."

"Will do. Make sure you pack something nice to wear. We're going to Takodana for a wedding."

**Author's note: Y'all get two chapters this week. The writer's block broke finally.**


	31. Chapter 31: If You Fall I Will Catch You

It was two days later. Kylo was piloting the Ghost on the approach to Ahch-to. He looked out the windows of the cockpit at a big, blue, watery ball of a planet.

"Uh, Rey, you know we can't land on water."

"There's land down there" she replied. "Bunches of islands."

"So how am I supposed to find the right island?" he retorted. "Feel it in the Force?"

"Yep. The original Jedi temple is here. It was built on a vergence. It gave me a headache the first time I came here."

"I'd rather have landing coordinates."

"Just reach out with the Force Kylo!"

"Alright! Alright!" He extends his senses and feels the Force. Son of a gun, there is something down there. It's … that direction. Sort of leftish from their current path. As they get closer he starts to get a headache behind his eyes. Damn vergence.

"It's that island in front of us," said Rey excitedly.

"That island? It looks like a mountain sticking out of the ocean. There's no place to land."

"Of course there's a place to land. It's on the other side of the island."

They circle the island until a flat section at ocean level comes into view.

"You're kidding," said Kylo flatly.

"I guess you don't remember the last time we were here," answered Rey.

"I'd just been pulled back from Between the Worlds, we had to climb down innumerable decrepit stone steps in the dark, during a thunderstorm, to the ship. Oh, and let's not forget the tornados."

"Don't be a baby. I've landed the Falcon here several times with no problems."

"Rey, the landing pad is the size of a coffee table."

"Do you want me to do it?"

"No, no. I'll land it. But if we crash and die it was nice knowing you."

"Just stop, Kylo."

To Kylo's surprise, the landing pad (which was not the size of a coffee table) comfortably accommodated the Ghost, albeit was only a little bit of room to spare.

"Told you," said Rey smugly.

"Whatever," grumbled Kylo. "Let's get the entry ramp down and see if any of the old geezers are hanging out here."

As they walked out of the cockpit and toward the ramp Kylo felt the hairs rising on the back of his neck. There was a ripple of some sort in the Force. He looked around, trying to pin it down.

A soft blue light was gradually growing in a corner of the crew lounge. After a few minutes it was bright enough to catch Kylo's attention. "Geeze, not again!" he groused. Sure enough, the light resolved into a Force ghost. Master Luke Skywalker, to be exact.

"You look a bit disquieted Master," said Rey.

"He looks like a grouchy old man," grumbled Kylo. "To what do we owe the dubious pleasure of your visit?"

"Don't get snippy with me young man. I'll summon your mother if I need to."

Kylo rolled his eyes but chose not to gainsay a reply.

"So why are you here?" asked Rey, attempting to spread a little Lightside calm on the situation. "Do you have any insight into our recent nightmares?"

"Not my area," said Luke. "Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon Jinn could help you with that. I'm checking up on His Darkness. I needed to make sure he wasn't behaving improperly toward you, Rey. He has an unsavory reputation, you know."

"I have a reputation for Force choking people who irritate me. And sometimes throwing them into walls. But not normally into walls I destroyed with my lightsaber. I don't have a reputation for deflowering virgins. Or forcing myself on unwilling women."

"Really? What would you call what you and Kateria were doing behind the temple when you were one of my Padawans?"

"I told you at the time Luke! She decided to teach me how to kiss. That's all."

At this point Rey decided to stick an oar in. "Master Luke," she said, waving a hand to get their attention. "Kylo has been a perfect gentleman the entire time we've been traveling. In fact, it was my idea for us to start sleeping together."

The Force ghost stared at Rey, his eyes goggling, mouth hanging open, face turning a bright, rosy shade of red. Then he vanished.

"I noticed you didn't tell him touching helped us use the Bond to create a strong barrier to those nightmare attacks." drawled Kylo. "Or the fact that all we are doing is sleeping."

"Sometimes you have to push sanctimony off its perch," said Rey smugly.

Kylo just raises an eyebrow rakishly and grins.

"So, kissing lessons with Kateria when you were Padawans?" She smirked and raised an inquiring eyebrow that invited him to fill in the blanks.

"Kateria was my best friend at Luke's academy. She got the idea in her head that I'd be happier with a girlfriend and would have an easier time getting one if I didn't kiss like a gagging goldfish. He smiled at the memory. "Kat was always pretty impulsive. She was the sister I never had."

"I thought Jedi were supposed to be emotionally detached, Kylo."

"I think it's obvious that I couldn't be emotionally detached if my life depended on it. And Kat wasn't great at following rules she didn't agree with either. She's a good friend, and a fairly strong force sensitive, but she was a lousy Jedi."

"It's going to take a while to get up those steps so we need to get moving." declared Rey. "There wasn't much in the way of supplies when I was here last so we'll need to carry up ship rations. Unless you want to spend time fishing. Luke practically lived on fish and seaweed stew.

"Sounds delightful," said Kylo snakily.

"Well I grew up eating polybread portions and synth meat and I had trouble choking down the stew. Better pack extra ship rations."

"Anything else?" asked Kylo.

"The huts have sleeping areas but it's a stretch to call them actual beds. Better bring bedrolls for us to sleep on. Oh, and we need to bring the materials to make our lightsabers. Probably should bring the indecipherable Jedi texts along, too."

"Are we going to be able to take this all in one trip?" asked Kylo

"The fewer trips we need to make up and down those stairs the happier I'll be," replied Rey. "Trust me, you don't want to spend hours traipsing up those stairs.

After draping themselves in various bags, totes, and backpacks they were ready to face the innumerable decrepit stone steps. As they start down the ramp they hear loud screeching coming from the bottom of the ramp. "Oh look!" trilled Rey, "Porgs! aren't they adorable?

"No. Absolutely not," growled Kylo emphatically. You have no idea how much time and effort it took to clean their nests, feathers, and crap out of the Falcon. Not to forget that hideous smell. If any of those Porgs step one claw on the Ghost I'm going to Force blast them off with extreme prejudice!"

"Alright Kylo, chill out will ya," replied Rey. "I'll shoo those cute little Porgs away from the ramp and hold them off with a Force shield so you can raise the ramp."

After Rey had the Porgs shooed away and corralled Kylo raised the entry ramp and secured the Ghost. They rearranged their chattels to hang as comfortably as possible and looked up at the long, steep, perilous path of irregular stone steps. With no handrail.

"After you, my dear," said Kylo.

"If I fall will you catch me?" asked Rey coyly.

"Absolutely," he replied.

Rey was right. They were only halfway to the summit and Kylo had already decided that anything they left behind could stay in the bloody ship until they were ready to leave. There was nothing in the ship that they would need so badly that he would make an extra trip.

All things end eventually, even a trek from the bottom to the top of the Isle of the Sacred Jedi Temple. Finally, they cleared the last steps and reached the temple complex.

"What are these - creatures?" he asked.

"They are Lanai, a sentient avian species. They are the Temple caretakers."

As they walked closer the Lanai watched them, curious about Kylo and giving Rey a very distinct and powerful stink eye.

"They don't seem to like you very much, Rey," commented Kylo.

"Well, I kind of damaged one of the huts with my blaster the last time I was here," said Rey uncomfortably.

"That was the time you tried to shoot me when the bond brought us together."

"Ah, yes. Sorry about that. It was a tense time. And I think they blame me for the hut Luke destroyed when he found us talking through the bond."

"Luke was always a bit impulsive." conceded Kylo.

"Let's pick a hut," said Rey, changing the subject. "They're all the same. It's pretty primitive here."

"Does primitive mean virtually no fresher faculties?" asked Kylo.

"It means an outhouse and spit baths," replied Rey.

Kylo sighed. It was going to be a long week.


	32. Chapter 32: Man in the Mirror

The sun was barely above the horizon when Kylo woke up. His back was stiff and his hips ached. He felt like he had slept on irregular stone slab. Which was not too far off from reality. He groaned and cracked an eye, looking at Rey as she sat on the end of the bed and put her boots on, humming a cheerful tune and bouncing a little. She had her hair up in a cute ponytail and looked like she was ready to jog around the island.

"Aren't you a happy ball of fluff," he muttered, wishing he had a decent pillow he could wrap around his head.

"Oh come on Kylo. I know you aren't usually this grumpy when you wake up. It's a beautiful morning." she chirped.

"Well, it's a morning," he agreed sourly, draping his right arm over his eyes.

Rey stood up and stared down at him, hands on her hips. "Ok, what's wrong with you today?" she asked.

"I'm tired, I'm hungry, I ache all over, and overall I'm less than thrilled with the accommodations," he growled.

"Hmm, well, I guess I should have told you this place was a bit primitive."

"And there's too much Light up here," he added. "It's giving me a nasty headache."

"Why don't you get cleaned up?" Rey smiled, "There's a pitcher of clean water over on the table, a little soap, and a clean towel. I'll get breakfast ready. The Lanai brought us some porridge and there is some instant coffee in the rations that I can brew up." With that, she sashayed out the door and into the bright sunshine.

Kylo groaned, lay for another minute on the bed/irregular stone slab, and with an effort levered himself to an upright position. Based on the bed the prior inhabitants of the temple were obviously much shorter than he was. The hut had a small interior, but the beehive building shape allowed him to stand without hitting his head. He shuffled over to the table and poured some water from the pitcher into a basin sitting next to it. As he reached for the soap he noticed that Rey had dug out his razor and a small mirror and left them next to the basin. He's touched by her consideration. He decided he can deal with her happy little sunshine routine without being a grouchy rancor. Probably.

Kylo's lovely mood continued through breakfast. As he came out of the hut he saw that Rey had laid out food on a bench near the hut and was sitting on the ground next to it, As he walked up she handed him a cup of coffee and patted the ground next to her. He sat down and took a cautious sit of the dark brown liquid. He made himself swallow and grimaced. Yeah, that was pretty bad. Rey watched him drink and said "Okay, it's not good, but it's better than what we had to drink at D'Qar or Ajan Kloss."

"Resistance bases?" asked Kylo.

"They were," she answered. "They are probably mothballed now." She handed him a bowl and a spoon. He looked at the contents skeptically. "Gruel?"

"It's porridge!" exclaimed Rey, "Try it, it's good."

He gave it a try and put his bowl down. "It's bland gruel." He stood up suddenly. "I've got to go."

"Why?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"Too much Light. I feel unbalanced." The headache, which had not gone away, geared up with a vengeance. "I need to get away from the Temple for a while." He ducked into their hut and grabbed a nutrition bar and a canteen of water. He looked at Rey as he came out and said "I'll be back before dark."

He strode out of the temple ruins, seeking relief from the intense Light and a place where he could meditate and get his thoughts in order. As he emerged from the temple environs he saw a wide grassy field that gradually sloped toward a distant drop off down to the ocean. Ok, he'd aim for the cliff. Earth, Sea, Wind, and Sun - that looked like a good place to stop and get his head together. The pull of Light was still strong, but not like it was in the temple area proper. He sat down, crossed his legs, rested his hands on his knees, and opened himself to the Force. He began to release his thoughts, fears, questions, concerns into the aether. It was as close as one could come to merging totally with the Force and still retain a mortal body.

He wasn't sure how long he stayed there meditating. It may have been an hour, it may have been longer. After a while he felt something besides Light in the Force. At first, it was a little whisper, a thread of Dark in the overarching Light. The whisper became louder winding through his essence like a silk scarf trailing across his skin. Lovely, lovely Dark, velvety and soft against his senses, like a cool breeze on a hot day. He gradually grounded himself back into his body and opened his eyes. He could still feel the pull of the Dark. It was … he looked around … that way. Off to the left. He opened his canteen and drank about half the contents. It wouldn't do to get dizzy this close to the edge of the cliff. Standing, he walked along the cliffside and then angled left across the grassy slope. Soon he came to another low cliff and looking out he saw a flat outcropping of stone with a large circular hole therein. He reached out with his senses and confirmed that the Dark pull was coming from that direction.

Without hesitation, he climbed down onto the outcropping and approached the hole. Yep, it fit the description Rey gave him through the Bond when they connected before she tried to rescue him from Snoke. Ok, he didn't really need rescuing, though she did give him the incentive to change things. Cutting Snoke in half was a major change, after all. He brushed the memories from his mind as he knelt down at the edge of the hole.

Damn, he thought, It's really deep. And dark.

As he contemplates how he will climb down the Dark reaches up and compels him over the edge and down into the depths. He's not sure how far he fell before he hit the water. Cold, salty water, chilling him to the bone while it stung and burned his eyes. He trod water and looked around. The pool he was in was surrounded by stone walls, polished to a mirror-like sheen by years of grinding by seawater. The bottom of the pool sloped up toward the walls, and soon Kylo was able to touch the bottom and walk out of the water.

He stood shivering in front of the stone mirror staring at his reflection. He looked like a partly drowned cat. The Dark was so strong here he couldn't feel the Light that was so strong on the surface of the island. He thought a few minutes. Rey had asked the Dark to show her parents to her. She didn't get the answer she wanted, but she did get an answer. Maybe …

He tried to formulate a query that might get a useful answer from the Dark. No guarantees though. The Dark was part of the Force, and it was notoriously stingy with answers. Still, give it a shot. He stood in front of the mirror and asked, "What do I need to know?" Open-ended, but it just might work.

His image in the stone mirror dissolved into swirls of cloudy smoke. After a few moments, the smoke resolved into an image of three people. On the left was young Ben Solo, dressed in Jedi robes. On the right was First Order Kylo Ren, dressed in black robes and wearing his mask. In the middle was Kylo now, but instead of his current clothes, he was dressed in robes in a various gradient of grey, from deep charcoal to a light grey like the smear of a cloudy day. As he watched Jedi Ben and First Order Kylo disappeared, leaving Kylo the Grey. The image changed again and the Kylo image was standing next to Rey, dressed in grey robes similar to his. Around the two was the impression of many more people, but none were clear enough to identify. The images disappeared and Kylo was facing a blank, glossy stone wall.

That was intensely weird. he thought.

He looked up at the hole in the ceiling. It was still daylight, but the light had taken the golden tones of late afternoon. Kylo sighed. At least there was a section of the cave that looked climbable. An hour later he was at the top and pulling himself over the edge of the hole. He looked around and spied a splotch of darkness on the horizon. Damn, it's getting bigger and closer. There's something hypnotic about watching a storm barrel across the ocean toward the island you happen to be standing on. Kylo started heading back to the Temple, but of course, the storm is moving fast enough that it overtakes him before he's halfway back to the temple complex and the huts.

As he walks up to the hut they are using he sees Rey anxiously standing in the doorway. She moves back into the hut, hands him a blanket and says, "You need to get out of those wet things before you get sick." as she turns away to give him some privacy.

"Did it help?" she asked, referring to his day of meditation.

He thought a minute about his vision in the Dark mirror. "Yes, I think it did."

**Note: This is the first full day on Ahch-to from Kylo's POV. The next chapter will be from Rey's POV.**


	33. Chapter 33: Good Day Sunshine

Rey watched pensively as Kylo strode out of the temple ruins. She could feel him through the Force bond and his energy seemed scattered and chaotic. He felt like was covered with sharp edges and knife blades. She wanted to reach out to him and smooth them but it was obvious that she would pull back a metaphorical hand full of cuts and abrasions. Right. Meditating together is out of the question today.

Oh well, let him go. Maybe a day by himself would help his attitude. To be honest, she could use a day to herself to focus on the Force and her balance. She looked at the breakfast dishes. That coffee - it wasn't wasteful to pour out something that vile, was it? The porridge though … she hated to waste it and since she was still hungry she took Kylo's bowl and finished it off. He was right, it was really bland. No worse than the polybread she ate every day on Jakku, though. She makes a mental note to dig through the rations packs later and see if she can find some salt.

She decides to wash the breakfast dishes before she returns them to the Caretakers. Maybe that will encourage them to think more kindly of her. Overall she's feeling really good today. She naturally leans more toward the Light than to the Dark, and just being in the temple enclosure makes her feel almost giddy. She takes the clean dishes down to the Lanai village and actually gets a smile (well, as much of a smile that a bird face can make) from the head Caretaker. Things are looking up.

Now, what to do? She could go exploring but she doesn't want to disturb Kylo. She could read the allegedly indecipherable Jedi texts but she's tried to read them so many times it makes her eyes crossed to look at them. Maybe build her lightsaber? No, she had Kylo had agreed to do that together. That left roaming around the temple complex and meditating in the Sacred Jedi Temple.

Where to first? She strolled out of the section where the huts were sited and walked down a section of stairs that led down to the spinney where the Uneti tree was located. As she got closer she noticed a faint burnt smell in the air, as if something had been charred. When she reached the copse she was horrified. The Uneti tree was gone. All that remained was a burnt-out stump towering several feet over her head. She extended a hesitant hand toward the stump, trying to feel the Force that vibrated so strongly the last time she was here. There were a few faint echos, but even they were fading.

Rey felt a brief stab of sorrow for the loss of such a magnificent tree. But she was thankful that she had removed the sacred Jedi texts from the hollow in the trunk. If she hadn't saved them (saved, not stolen she reminded herself) they would have been lost forever. Granted, Luke told her that the Jedi needed to end but to lose the knowledge contained in the books would have been a tragedy.

Ok, now what? She had thought to meditate for a while under the Uneti tree but obviously that was not a viable option. Well, there was always the meditation spot Luke introduced her to when she bullied him into giving her a few brief how-to-Jedi lessons. Yeah, it was way up near the top of the temple but she could handle the climb.

As she climbed up toward the summit of the Temple she let her thoughts idle through her mind, not really focusing on anything in particular. Just letting them float in and drift out. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Kylo, wondering what he was doing, whether he would return in a better mood, how soft his hair felt when it brushed her back in bed, how comfortable and warm he was, and …_ ok, stop that!_ she told her brain. She really needed to meditate and clear her mind.

Finally, she was in the chamber next to the meditation ledge. The sun was high in the sky, warning the ledge with its golden rays. she sat down, crossed her legs, rested her hands on her knees, and opened herself to the Force. She released her thoughts, fears, questions, and concerns and let the Force surround and infuse her.

She wasn't sure how long she had been meditating. It was more than an hour, but she didn't know or really care how long she sat cradled in the light. After some time she gradually became aware of another presence near her. She grounded herself back in her body and opened her eyes. Standing next to her was a young man dressed in dark brown and black Jedi robes. He had brown hair that reached his shoulders and piercing brown eyes. There was a scar on the right side of his face that ran from his forehead to the outside of his right eyebrow. He was wearing a black glove on his right hand but his left hand was bare. Oh, and he was surrounded by a soft blue halo marking him as a Force ghost.

"Hello Master," said Rey. She started to stand up but the man raised his hand as if to stop her from rising. "May I sit with you?" he asked politely. "Please do, Master," she replied.

He lowered himself to the stone shelf and crossed his legs. "So you're the young lady who has my grandson twitterpated," he said with a small smile. "Hello, Rey."

Rey looked at him, startled and a little apprehensive. "Are you Darth Vader, Master?"

"You can call me Master Skywalker. Or Anakin. I won't stand on ceremony. I left Darth Vander behind a long time ago."

She relaxed a bit. "How can I help you Master Skywalker?" she asked.

"It's more how you can help my grandson," answered Anakin.

"Your grandson? Kylo?"

"While I believe everyone should be allowed to identify themselves however they choose, the name 'Kylo' doesn't sound like something that would strike fear in one's foes. But then 'Ben' doesn't quite do that either." They both laughed.

"Anyway," continued Anakin, "I wanted to tell you that even when things get a little dicey, don't give up on my grandson. With the help of the Force while he was Between the Worlds he has made a lot of progress, but he still has a way to go."

"What do you mean Master Skywalker?" she asked.

"You can call me Anakin. he replied. "Darth Sidious and his minions, like Snoke, did a number on my grandson practically from the day he was born. There's still damage that needs to be repaired to bring him back in Balance with the Force."

"Do you mean bringing him back to the Light, as Luke did for you?"

"No. I mean balanced between Dark and Light. Everyone has some of each, and we all balance at different points of the spectrum between Light and Dark. Darth Sidious had manipulated me into falling too far into the Dark. Luke didn't bring me back to the Light. He helped me make the last step I needed to return to Balance in the Force.

"I'm not sure what I need to do, then," she said, confused.

"For now you just need to be with him and support him. But don't put up with his crap. He'll need to be put in his place occasionally. You'll learn more after you leave Ahch-to."

"I'm not sure I can do this by myself."

Anakin smiled again. "Don't worry, you'll get by with a little help from your friends. And a few other people." He stretched his legs out and stood up. "I'll check up on you from time to time if you wish."

Rey stood up. "Thank you, Anakin. I would like that."

"One more thing. Don't tell my grandson we talked. He may not take it too well. Goodbye Rey."

"Farewell, Master."

After Anakin had disappeared Rey decided to return to the huts. The sun had disappeared behind some clouds and it looked like a storm was coming in. She thought she had just enough time to get back before the rain started. She hurried down the stairs and reached the hut they were using just as the first fat drops of rain started to fall. She ran inside and looked around. No Kylo. _Ok,_ she thought, _he's going to be wet and cold._ She went over to the fire pit. There were fresh combustibles there so she used some flint and steel to start the kindling.

She fed small branches to the kindling and then added larger pieces as necessary. As the hut warmed up she felt through the Bond that Kylo was near. She grabbed a blanket and went to the door of the hut. She moved back from the door to give him room to enter, handed him a blanket, and said, "You need to get out of those wet things before you get sick." as she turned away to give him some privacy.

"Did it help?" she asked, referring to his day of meditation.

"Yes, I think so," he answered. "How about your day?"

"It went well. Lightsabers tomorrow?"

"Yes," he smiled. "Finally."


	34. Chapter 34: Knights of Swords

Rey is almost vibrating with anticipation. "Today is the day, right? We're going to build our lightsabers today, right?"

"You know we have all day to do this, don't you?" grumbled Kylo.

"Yes, but I am so ready to do this!" she burbled.

The sun is just peeking over the horizon - again.

Rey is up, dressed, and humming a happy tune - again.

Kylo is pulling the blanket over his head and wishing for an actual bed - again.

It's day 2 on Ahch-to, the Island of the Sacred Jedi Temple.

Rey leaned down and pulled on his arm. "Come on Kylo! I'm ready to start."

He groans. "Alright. Give me a couple of minutes, ok?"

As Rey goes out of the hut to see about breakfast Kylo finally grumbles himself off the pallet and straightens with various creaks, pops, and snaps. Oh come on, he's not that old. He stretches a bit and wanders over to the table to make his morning ablutions.

Cleaned up and shaved, he's less cranky as he joins Rey outside for breakfast. Hmm, gruel again. At least this time is more or less eatable. "This isn't bad, Rey," he said as he tasted it.

"Yep." she replied. "I found some salt in the rations packs and added it to the porridge. It's amazing what a little seasoning can do." She's already done with her portion, scraping the bowl carefully to get every last bit. "So what do we do first?"

"First," Kylo says, "I need to do some stretching to get the kinks out. Then we need to meditate with the kyber crystals so they are attuned to us. Then we build our lightsabers."

"Wait for me to take the breakfast dishes down to the Caretakers and I'll join you." Rey slings a sack with the material to build their lightsaber hilts over her shoulder jogs the bowls down to the Lanai village and soon joins Kylo in the grassy field just outside the temple complex. As they raise their arms, twist, and lunge their way to flexibility they mirror each other's movements, reminding both of them of the last time they moved in synchronization. After a while they end with an overhead arm stretch, slowly lowering them to their sides.

"Much better," said Kylo. "Ready to sync the crystals?"

"More than ready!" she replied."I've been waiting to do this for a long time." She linked her arm in his and pulled him toward the temple complex. "I'd like to meditate in the Temple. Kylo." He groaned at the idea of being totally saturated in Light while he tries to attune to his stone. She gave him a side-eye and continued, "There's a perfect place about halfway up to the top of the Temple. There's a chamber there and a ledge where Master Luke taught me how to meditate." She pulled him along a little more insistently. "That's also the place where I pulled you back from Between the Worlds."

"Does that make it our special place?" he asked, smirking.

"Behave, Kylo." She hands him the sack of parts and they start off.

She leads him into the Temple and soon they reach the chamber. Kylo looks around. The Light isn't as pressing as he thought it would be. "You're right, Rey. This is a good place to do this." he allowed. "Of course I'm right," smirked Rey. She pulls out a bag from her pants pocket and pours the crystals into her hand. She sticks the bag back in her pocket and puts a stone in each hand. "So how do we do this Kylo?"

A voice behind them booms "And what exactly do you two think you are doing?" It's deep and dark with a soft growl.

They turn and see a tall bald man with skin the color of chocolate and intense dark brown eyes glowering at them under ebony eyebrows. He's wearing a tan undertunic, a brown overtunic, and a dark brown outer robe. There is a lightsaber hanging from his leather belt. Obviously a Jedi. And he's surrounded by a blue halo. Obviously a Force ghost Jedi.

"What is this, a Jedi Force ghost convention?" groused Kylo. "Who the hell are you and why the hell should we care?"

"I am Mace Windu, Jedi Master," he said severely. "And if it wasn't necessary I wouldn't even deal with you, Darksider," he added.

"Kylo, let's hear him out," said Rey urgently. "I'm sure Master Windu wouldn't be here if it wasn't important."

Kylo got ahold of his temper with great difficulty. "Master Windu," he grinds out. "How may we be of service?" He actually would like to kick this ghost in the keister, but he's not prepared for a fight and frankly, Master Windu could probably kick his keister so a little politeness is warranted.

"I'm here to assist you two, but I appreciate the courtesy," answered Master Windu dryly. "I'm going to make sure that your lightsabers are of the highest level of construction. I'm also going to evaluate your fighting styles and recommend the best forms for you to use."

"Thank you, Master Windu, that sounds wonderful," says Rey.

"I appreciate the help, Master, but I know how to build my own lightsaber." protests Kylo.

"This time you are going to build something better than that red, spark spitting monstrosity you called a lightsaber," replies Master Windu. "You're damn lucky it didn't explode in your hand. And no quillons this time. Unless you plan to crack this crystal."

"What would you recommend, Master Windu?" asked Rey, jumping in before Kylo could respond to the insult to his old lightsaber.

All business now, Master Windu looks over the two of them. "I recommend the Peace and Justice style for you, young Skywalker. And for you, Master Ren, the Valor and Wisdom style would be appropriate."

"Now as to the crystals," he continued, "It would be best for you two to go to one of the Crystal Caves that still remain and find a crystal that already resonates with you but we don't have the time for that. Master Ren, do you feel an attraction from either crystal?"

Kylo reached out with the Force. "The one in Rey's right hand feels positive. The one in her left hand feels negative." He moved his hand back. "The one on the left is probably Luke's old crystal" he muttered under his breath.

"How about you, young Skywalker?" asked Master Windu.

"The one in my left hand feels positive to me," she replied.

Master Windu falls into lecture mode. "Master Ren, you know the basics. Young Skywalker, give Master Ren his crystal. Lay out the hilt materials between the two of you. You will take your crystals and meditate on them until the crystal's essence and your essence are harmonious in the Force. After that focus on your hilt design and let the Force assist you in the assembly. When your lightsabers are assembled go down to the field next to the temple complex and wait for me." When he finishes lecturing them he disappears.

Rey looks over at Kylo. "No gripes. No complaints." she said, "Let's just get this done, ok?"

They spend several hours meditating over the crystals and working with the Force to assemble their lightsabers. When they finish they each have a formal weapon fit for a Jedi Knight.

"So, head for the field?" asked Rey.

"No. Head for lunch first," answered Kylo. "Force ghosts may not need to eat but we do. Even if it is ration packs and disgusting coffee."

Rey laughed "You get really grouchy when you're hungry."

After a leisurely lunch (Kylo insisted they needed some time to recover from the meditation work) they strolled down to the grassy field outside of the temple complex. Force ghost Mace Windu materialized a few minutes after they arrive.

"Are you sure you don't need a little more leisure time?" he asked sarcastically. "Maybe an after lunch nap?"

"No, we're fine," said Kylo in a mild voice.

"I see you finished your lightsaber, Darksider." Master Windu glared at him. "Let's see the blade.

They hadn't activated their lightsabers yet and Kylo was curious, too. He thumbed the igniter. A bright, deep amethyst blade emerged from the hilt.

Master Windu grunted. "It's what I expected. You're not completely Dark, Master Ren, but you do walk a fine line of moral ambiguity. What combat form do you use?"

"Juyo," Kylo replied.

"The Way of the Vornskr. Of course you do." Master Windu's form appeared slightly more solid. He detached the lightsaber from his waist, igniting the deep purple blade. "Let's see what you've got."

Rey retreated a safe distance away as the two Force sensitives went at it. It was quickly apparent that Master Windu had the advantage, his movements flowing from one to the next like liquid fire, his blade moving so fast it looked as if he wielded several swords at once. Kylo attacked with passionate strength and ferocity but he could never get the advantage. The end of the duel was almost predictable as his lightsaber finally flew from his hand, extinguishing when it hit the ground.

"You're good, Master Ren, but you trade too much control for power and ferocity. I recommend switching from Juyo to Vaapad. Vaapad is more than a fighting style, it is a state of mind that helps mitigate the fury of Juyo with more control, tempering your aggression and providing some protection from being drawn too far into the Dark."

"Thank you, Master Windu," said Kylo. He could give the old Jedi some respect. He barely held his own against the blade master.

Master Windu turned his attention to Rey. "Alright young Skywalker, let's see your blade." Rey thumbed the igniter. A lighter shade of purple, lavender, emerged from the hilt.

"Balancing Light and Dark, more toward the Light. What combat form do you use?"

"My master, Leia Organa, only taught me Form I, Shii-Cho, Master Windu," Rey replied respectfully.

"The Way of the Sarlacc," responded Master Windu. "The first and most basic of the combat forms. Master Ren, please spar with young Skywalker so I can evaluate her level of accomplishment."

Kylo and Rey took positions about 10 feet from each other. Kylo lit his blade, and they both bowed formally.

"Begin," called Master Windu.

Rey rushed toward Kylo with her sword held high in both hands, blade above her head. Kylo easily parried her strike and responded with a strike of his own. Rey responded with a perpendicular parry. This went on for a few minutes until Rey, tiring of the limiting Shii-Cho movements, when pure Jakku scavenger and attacked Kylo with wild, powerful strikes, jumps, and spins

"Stop!" commanded Master Windu.

They both stepped back and disengaged their blades. Master Windu ruminated for a few minutes. "I think Form IV, Ataru would be best for you, young Skywalker." He turned to Kylo. "Are you capable of teaching her the Way of the Hawk-Bat?"

"Yes, Master Windu," he replied.

"I'll take my leave now. I'm satisfied with your progress, Master Ren, and with your potential, young Skywalker."

Kylo put his palms together in front of his chest and bowed. Rey mirrored his gesture.

"Farewell, Master Windu," said Kylo respectfully. "Thank you for your visit and your instruction."

Master Windu nodded and said, "May the Force be with you." Then he disappeared.

"That was … interesting," said Rey.

"Definitely," replied Kylo.


	35. Chapter 35: My Karma Ran Over Your Dogma

It's the evening of day 3 on Ahch-to, the Island of the Sacred Jedi Temple.

They spent the whole day either meditating or working on lightsaber combat forms.

Kylo grumbles that that closest shower is in the Ghost, which is located at the bottom of those innumerable decrepit stone steps.

Rey points him toward a rain barrel behind the beehive huts, hands him a bar of soap and a towel, and suggests that he clean up before he returns to the close confines of their hut.

They are leaving in the morning for Takodana and the wedding of Rey's two best friends, Poe and Finn.

Kylo is thanking the Maker, the Force, and any of the various gods worshiped by the multitude of cultures in the galaxy that this is the last day he will have to endure the bed (for want of a better word) in the beehive hut.

They have finished their regularly scheduled political argument about the Resistance versus the First Order. It mostly boils down to 'my side was better than your side.' She goes on about freedom and self-determination and how every planetary system and sentient being deserves the chance to vote for governmental representatives. He argues just as passionately for a benevolent central control and the rule of law being essential to good government and points out how he grew up watching how the New Republic Senate mostly argue and how it could never accomplish anything useful. Most of these arguments end with one or the other yelling 'You just don't understand!' and both stalking away to cool off.

Eventually, they will both realize that while dogmatism can give you a nice warm glow of righteousness, pragmatism, while not necessarily providing the lovely righteous glow, will actually get things done. Meanwhile, they will argue and get angry and cool off. And then agree that making up afterward can be a very satisfying interaction.

This time, however, they have segued from politics to religion (so to speak). And they have both staked their battlefield on the question of whether the Light side (Jedi) or the Dark side (Sith) are right in their philosophy. The fact of the matter is that the Force doesn't give a plugged nickel about whether the Jedi or the Sith are correct. The Force is all about Balance, and Balance in the Force doesn't necessarily mean that the side you are rooting for is going to win.

This round in the intellectual battle started after Kylo had returned to the hut following his ablutions at the rain barrel. Kylo had decided to peruse the allegedly indecipherable Jedi texts and see what, if anything, he could decipher. Luke had taught mostly by lecture and example at the Jedi Academy, so Kylo had not seen the texts before.

"Hey Rey," he called over to her. "Did you know one of your Jedi texts is actually The Book of the Sith?" He held up a small book with a red leather cover.

"Really? Why would something that nasty and evil be with sacred Jedi texts?" asked Rey.

"Careful," answered Kylo, "your biases are showing."

"What do you mean by that? Everyone knows the Sith were evil."

"That's what I would call a hasty generalization, Rey."

You're not actually defending the Sith, are you Kylo?"

"The Sith were extremists in that they embraced the Dark and only the Dark. Some of them were evil. Some were misguided. For that matter, the Jedi were extremists in that they embraced the Light and only the Light. Were any of them evil? Maybe. I think they were also misguided."

"you're defending the Sith, Kylo. And if you defend the Sith you're defending evil. You're saying evil is acceptable."

"I didn't say that. You're advancing a straw man argument, Rey. I said that some Sith were evil and some were misguided."

"Ok, I'll agree that some Sith may have been misguided, but their philosophy will infect the galaxy with evil."

"I think that's a red herring, Rey. In any case, neither the Jedi nor the Sith exists at any meaningful level in the galaxy."

"I'm a Jedi, Kylo. I exist, therefore the Jedi exist."

"With all due respect, Rey, you've had some Jedi training but I wouldn't call you anything close to a Jedi Knight yet."

Rey doesn't reply. She sits on the bed, crosses her arms, and silently stews.

"Rey?" says Kylo. No answer.

"Rey?" he tries again. Still no answer. She looks away from him and stares at the wall.

"Oh come on, Rey, I wasn't trying to insult you."

"Don't talk to me, Kylo."

"Fine. I won't talk to you."

Rey does not respond. She just stares at the wall.

Kylo is frustrated. "Maybe I'll just crash in one of the other huts tonight."

Still no response. _Huh,_ he thinks. _She's giving me the silent treatment._

"I'm going outside."

She sat there silently. He turned and walked out into the night. He does not see the tears that well up in her eyes and run down her cheeks.

He walked through the temple complex, not completely sure where he is going. He's not sure if he's upset with Rey or mad at himself. We were only talking. She was upset because she was losing the argument. It's not like training with his mother was enough to make her a real Jedi.

Still … maybe he should have stopped before he made the crack about her not being a Jedi. Even though it's true - technically.

"You know, your father used to do this to me all the time."

That voice behind him. He would know it anywhere. Was that …? "Mom?" He turned around and saw a woman surrounded by a gently glowing blue halo.

"Hello Ben," said Leia Organa. She looked at him and smiled. "You've grown so much since I saw you last."

He just looked at her, astonished. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, come on son, I think we have things we need to discuss." She looked toward the hut where he had left Rey. "Several things."

He turned away, folded his arms across his chest, and looked out over the grassy field. "I really don't want to talk to you, Mother."

Leia sighed. "Why don't I start? " He looked over his shoulder at her and then back at the field.

"What are your feelings for Rey?" she asked

"Rey?" he asked, startled. He turned back and faced Leia. "Why are you asking me about her?"

"She's sitting in that hut crying," answered Leia.

"We were just talking," protested Kylo defensively.

"You attacked her," replied Leia. "You told her she wasn't a real Jedi. You discounted my training under Luke, and you mocked the training I gave her. You made her feel like nothing."

"I didn't mean to," muttered Kylo.

"Han never meant to do that to me either. I never meant to do that to him. But we did. We argued about everything. The diplomatic parties I wanted him to go to with me. My job in the Senate. His smuggling. Where the money was going. How to help you control your Force powers. We didn't mean to hurt each other, but we did. Until finally Han left in the Falcon and never came back."

Kylo closed his eyes. Dammit, she was right. He needed to make things right with Rey. He opened his eyes and took a step toward the hut.

Leia's voice rang out, "Ben Solo, we are not done yet."

Kylo stopped in his tracks. "I don't have anything else I want to say to you, Mother."

"But I have something I need to say to you," she replied.

Kylo sighed, "Let's get it over with then."

Leia straightened and stared at Kylo, her bearing that of the general and princess she used to be. For a minute. Then the facade crumbled and pain showed on her face.

"You were right son. I was afraid of the Dark developing in you. I thought it was because of our bloodline. Because my father was Darth Vader. I sent you to Luke because I thought he was the only one who could help you, not because I wanted to get rid of you."

"Well, you were wrong, Mother," Kylo said bitterly, looking away from his mother.

"I was wrong. Luke was wrong. Your father didn't want to send you away. He was right, but for the wrong reasons. He thought you would grow out of it."

"What are you looking for, Mother? Forgiveness? Understanding?" Kylo turned to face her, his hands balled in fists. "I might be able to give you understanding but not forgiveness. Not now," His voice was rough and ragged. "Someday? Maybe someday. Not today."

"I know," Leia said.

They stared at each other for a while. He lowered his hands to his side, his shoulders drooping dejectedly. "I'm sorry about Han. Father. Snoke pushed me to kill him. I made the wrong choice." Tears formed in his eyes. "I am so sorry, Mother," he said, his voice choking on unshed tears.

She wishes she could reach out and hold him. "I forgive you," she said softly. "And I know he forgives you, too." She stepped closer "I love you, son. I will always love you."

Leia smiles and disappears, leaving Kylo alone in the dark. He stands there a few minutes, just breathing and trying to regain his composure. He still needs to talk to Rey.

When he enters the hut Rey is lying on the pallet back to the door and face to the wall. She's not asleep, but she's still upset with him. He can feel it through their Force bond. He kneels down next to her, reaches out to touch her shoulder, and stops himself. Her whole body is tense. Maybe she doesn't want him to touch her yet.

This is hard. He's not sure what to say. Finally, he starts. "I was an ass. An idiot. An argumentative jerk. I know you trained with my mother but I said you weren't a Jedi anyway. I'm so sorry. You're not a nobody. You're a somebody, and you are everything to me. Please forgive me, Rey."

She lays there a few minutes, her body slowly relaxing on the pallet. She doesn't look at him, but she scoots over enough to give him room to lie down.

"Come to bed, Kylo."

He lies down next to her. She spoons up against his chest and he wraps his arms around her. Rey is soon asleep but Kylo is awake for a while, thinking about the talk with his mother.

He pulls Rey a little closer and whispers softly, "I love you."


	36. Chapter 36: A Meeting of Minds

It's day 4 on Ahch-to and the Island of the Sacred Jedi Temple.

For once Kylo is happy to get up at the crack of dawn. Yeah, they have to pack up and climb back down the innumerable deceit stone steps, but they aren't going to have to go back up. Ever. Because today is the day they leave this Light saturated temple on this mountain in the middle of a water-drenched planet.

So of course, it rains.

"We are leaving today. I don't care if it rains," mutters Kylo under his breath. "I don't care if a hurricane blows in."

Rey is up, dressed, and packing the allegedly indecipherable Jedi texts (even the Book of the Sith) in a waterproof bag. They are hard to understand, but letting them get soaked would make them even more indecipherable and that just wouldn't do. They are both carefully stepping around last night's contretemps. Best give that some more time before it's addressed. If it's ever addressed. Sleeping dogs and all that.

Finally, the last bits and bobs are packed in the various bags, totes, and backpacks from the trip up and divided between Rey and Kylo to carry down. They step outside of the beehive hut they have been using for the past few days and head toward the stairs. Rey decides they need to make a detour and stop by the Caretaker village to thank the Head Caretaker. She's not sure the Lanai understood her, and she definitely did not understand what was said to her in reply, but Rey smiled and bowed before they moved on.

They slowly and carefully make it down the stairs. Rey makes a Force barrier to hold back several curious Porgs while Kylo lowers the entry ramp on the Ghost. They walk onboard, close the ramp, and the Ghost rises majestically into the air and disappears.

If they had stopped to look at the temple before they left they would have noticed a curious blue glow radiating out of the meditation chamber …

Of course, the Jedi Master Force ghosts aren't done yet.

The lineup is impressive. Mace Windu is there, as well as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Yoda. Also in attendance are Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, and Leia Organa. They are sitting at their ease in a circle, although the chairs are not really visible. Leia is sitting on the opposite side of the circle from Anakin. She's still thinking of him as Darth Vader. Luke is sitting equidistant between the two, trying not to take sides.

Master Kenobi looks over toward Yoda. "Would you like to convene us, Grand Master Yoda?"

"The High Council this is not. Listen I will, if chair it you can, Master Kenobi," replies Yoda.

Obi-Wan nods his acceptance and looks around the circle of Jedi Force ghosts. "We have come together to discuss the dyad of Kylo Ren and Rey of Jakku, also known as Rey Skywalker."

"Wait a minute," interrupted Leia. "My son's name is Ben Solo. Not Kylo Ren. Never Kylo Ren." She glares at Obi-Wan

"His chosen name is Kylo Ren, daughter," said Anakin mildly. "He has renounced his birth name for reasons he considers valid." Leia frowns and spears her estranged father with a heated look.

"I don't care what his chosen name is. His name is Ben Solo. It will always be Ben Solo." She folds her arms and skewers the other Force ghosts with an icy stare cultivated by years of battles for the Rebellion, in the Senate, and for the Resistance.

Yoda is undeterred. "Respect his decision we will. The name Kylo Ren we will use." He looks at Leia. "And help us, if you will stay. Respect your son's agency, you should."

Leia is famous for her ability to pick and choose her battles appropriately, and she backs down on the subject of her son's name for now.

"Let's leave the whole name thing alone and get on with the assessment," interjects Master Windu abruptly.

"Agreed, Master Windu," said Obi-Wan. "Would you like to offer your thoughts?"

"Certainly," replied Master Windu. "I was tasked with assisting their lightsaber build and assessing their fighting abilities. They were able to build lightsabers to my satisfaction, though their purple blades may be an area of concern in the future. As far as combat styles are concerned, Kylo Ren has mastered Juyo. I have recommended to him to move to Vaapad for more control and precision. Rey of Jakku, also called Skywalker, has been trained in the combat form Shii-Cho. I have recommended she be trained in Ataru. Master Ren has agreed to train her"

"Anything else, Master Windu?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Only to voice my concerns with the level of Darkness in Master Ren," replied Master Windu. "He has moved closer to the Light since young Skywalker pulled him from Between Worlds, but I am concerned if her influence will be sufficient to hold him there."

"Thank you, Master Windu," said Obi-Wan. He looked around the circle. "Who else has an assessment?"

"I do." Interjected Anakin.

"Anakin, we will take your comments and those from Master Skywalker and Leia Organa under advisement. Kylo Ren is, after all, a member of your family and it is possible that you may be biased in your assessments.

"Really old friend?" smiled Anakin. He leans back in his seat, obviously at ease with the gathering. "I'm the only one here who has experience in going deep into the Dark and returning to the Light."

Obi-Wan raises his hands in surrender. "Conceded, Master Skywalker. What is your assessment of Kylo Ren?

Leia shifts in her seat and growls "Ben," under her breath.

Anakin ignores her for the moment."Thank you, Master Kenobi," he says formally. "We all know my grandson and his bondmate are extremely strong force sensitives, probably the strongest in the galaxy. My observations of both, while they have been at the Temple, suggests that while Kylo is not yet where he needs to be in the Force, he is closer than he was before his sojourn Between the Worlds. Rey has been a positive influence both through the dyad bond and by her ongoing presence. I am confident that given enough time he will find his Balance point in the Force in regard to the Light and the Dark."

"I am not completely convinced that Ben has turned from the Dark, Father," interrupted Luke. "I know that he has moved closer to the Light, but he is still very Dark. I don't believe he will ever return completely to the Light."

"I am not convinced that a complete return to the Light is required." countered Anakin. "Kylo Ren is a passionate man. His passion will be given direction and purpose when matched with Rey's serenity and stillness."

"If I may offer a comment, Master Kenobi …" interjected Qui-Gon Jinn. Obi-Wan nodded for him to continue. "We know that there has been a disturbance in the Force. Unfortunately, what it is and what it means are still unclear. The only thing I can clearly perceive is that the dyad will be involved in its final resolution."

He looked around the circle of Force ghosts. "I think the Balance of the Force is under threat, and at a level that has not been seen for a generation."

"As Force ghosts, little we can to affect the physical world, there is," said Yoda. Watch, we can watch, to the flow of the force listen, and as best we can advise the dyad."

"If you all agree I will continue to observe the dyad and speak to them when appropriate," interjected Anakin. He looked around the circle as each one nodded.

"In agreement we are," said Yoda, as one by one the Jedi Force ghosts dispersed into the aether.

**Author notes: This chapter was a bugger to write for some reason. But when you have to write dialog for Yoda it's useful to have an English to Yoda translator to double check the syntax. :-)**


	37. Chapter 37: Shades of Gray

The holo of Lando Calrissian floated over the pilot console in front of Rey.

"Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking about, Lando!" she said excitedly. "Just drop them off with Maz when you get to Takadona and she will give you my reimbursement."

"I couldn't possibly accept remuneration from a lovely lady for such a paltry sum. Please accept them with my compliments," replied Lando, grinning.

"Flirt." she smiled "Thank you. Just remember I'm young enough to be your granddaughter."

"Oh please," he answered. "I just like to see you smile. I'll see you and my nephew at the wedding." Lando signed off and the holo disappeared. Rey is really excited about her wedding gift. She is absolutely sure they are going to love it. She checks the autopilot and notes that the Ghost will be coming out of hyperspace in about a couple of hours. Satisfied that things can run without her for a little while, she meanders back to the lounge area where she finds Kylo sitting on a couch, surrounded by the allegedly indecipherable Jedi texts.

"Whatcha doing?" she asks, sitting down next to him.

"Research," he replies. "There are parts of the allegedly indecipherable Jedi texts that are actually decipherable." He grins. "It's not anywhere close to complete, but I was able to find translate a section on the ancient history of the Jedi and the Sith." He carefully picks up a tattered, dog-eared book from the top of a pile. The cover was loose and water-stained, and several pages were loose and threatening to fall out.

"Originally," he said, "there was the Je'daii, who saw the Force composed as a sort of trinity. They believed in Ashla, the Light Side of the Force, Bogan, the Dark Side of the Force, and Bendu, the Balance. The Je'daii Order believed that it was essential for Ashia and Bogan to be in balance."

"The Je'daii had a code that they followed. Hang on a minute," Kylo continued as he flipped a few pages. "Here it is," he said as he handed the book to Rey.

_There is no ignorance; there is knowledge._

_There is no fear; there is power._

_I am the heart of the Force._

_I am the revealing fire of light._

_I am the mystery of darkness_

_In balance with chaos and harmony,_

_Immortal in the Force._

"How does this compare to the Jedi Code?" she asked.

Kylo grabbed another book from the pile of allegedly indecipherable Jedi texts, flipped it open, and handed it to Rey. "This is a basic primer for Jedi padawans. The code is on the first page."

_There is no emotion, there is peace._

_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._

_There is no passion", there is serenity._

_There is no chaos, there is harmony._

_There is no death, there is the Force._

"I can see there are differences between the two but are you suggesting there's something wrong with the Jedi Code?" Rey looked at the Jedi Code and back to the Je'daii Code.

"No wrong necessarily. The Jedi Code encourages passivity over action though. Calm, passive, meditating in their ivory towers. And when they did manage to take action it was supposed to be absolutely passionless."

Rey thought for a minute. "You may be right, but I need to think on it some more before I venture an opinion. So if there is a Jedi Code is there a Sith Code?"

Kylo grabbed a little red book from the pile. "We just happen to have one in the Book of the Sith," he said. He opened it, flipped a couple of pages, and handed it to her.

_Peace is a lie. There is only Passion._

_Through Passion I gain Strength._

_Through Strength I gain Power._

_Through Power, I gain Victory._

_Through Victory my chains are Broken._

_The Force shall free me._

"What does that mean, exactly, Kylo? What chains are broken?"

"From my understanding, the chains are whatever is preventing you from being or doing whatever you choose. It can also mean the rule of a master over an apprentice. When the apprentice overcomes and kills his master he is free from the chains that bind him to the master and has the opportunity to take an apprentice and become a master in his own right."

"I'm not sure that's any better than the passive Jedi in their ivory towers," said Rey.

Kylo looked thoughtful, "From what I can see the Jedi and the Sith both migrated to the furthermost edges of the Force, one insisting that Light was the only legitimate expression while the other insisted the Dark was. They both embraced extreme doctrines. They were both out of balance. The galaxy was out of balance. As long as Force users divide themselves into the Sith camp and the Jedi camp there will be no balance and no peace."

"I can see that!" exclaimed Rey. "Too much light bleaches the color out of life, blinds our eyes. Too much dark obscures what we need to see. I think too much Light can destroy just as quickly and completely as too much Dark."

"You lean more towards the Light while I lean more toward the Dark," said Kylo. "However, you still have Dark in you while I still have Light in me. And we balance each other through our Force bond."

Rey sits and thinks about that for a bit while Kylo pulls a couple more books to him and looks through them.

Finally, she finishes her chain of thought. "Kylo?"

"Yes?" He looks up from his book.

"I don't think I'm meant to be a Jedi."

"I know I'm not meant to be a Sith." The side of his mouth quirks up a bit.

"Then what are we? asked Rey.

"Gray," said Kylo.

"Gray?" she asked.

"Gray," he said gnomishly.

"What does that even mean?" she asked, exasperated.

"It means neither Jedi nor Sith. It means not taking sides. It means using the Light and the Dark but not embracing either totally. It means the Force as a tapestry of Light, Dark, and Gray. It means true Balance of all the aspects of the Force. Gray." Kylo explained.

"Gray Jedi?" she asked

He frowned. "I suppose that term could be used. We could just as easily call it Grey Sith."

She made a face. "Let's not."

Kylo laughed a little "Ok, we'll take that off the table."

"Is there a Gray Force user code? Or are we making it up as we go along?" asked Rey.

"I know that there were Force users who were considered 'gray' in the past, but so much of the information on the history of the Jedi were destroyed during Emperor Palpatine's reign. The closest thing I can find is the Grey Jedi code as created by Leor Danal for the Templars of Twilight.

_Flowing through all, there is balance_

_There is no peace without a passion to create_

_There is no passion without peace to guide_

_Knowledge fades without the strength to act_

_Power blinds without the serenity to see _

_There is freedom in life_

_There is purpose in death _

_The Force is all things and I am the Force _

"That does resonate, but it's not quite … right" mused Rey.

"Yes," agreed Kylo. "It's good, but there is more to it than just this. I guess we just let it stew a while and see what else the Force has to show us." He starts picking up the texts, handling the fragile books carefully.

Rey watches him for a few minutes. She fidgets a little bit and finally says, "Kylo?"

"Yes?" He puts the last book on the pile and turns to look at her.

"Last night, when we got into the argument about the Sith and the Jedi …"

Kylo waits. He doesn't want to screw things up again.

"I just wanted to say that I was sorry." continues Rey. "You didn't really do anything wrong. Sometimes, well, sometimes I still feel like a nobody. I was a nobody so long that it's easy to let those thoughts roll around in my head. I guess when you said I wasn't really a Jedi I started thinking I wasn't good enough to be a Jedi. Then I started feeling like nothing again."

She stands up, "Anyway, I am sorry."

Kylo stands up and steps next to her. He gently wraps his arms around her. "You'll always be somebody to me." He steps back slightly so he can down into her face. "Sometimes we're going to disagree. We may even argue with each other. Sometimes friends do that. But friends always make up afterward. We're bondmates. I'm not going anywhere unless you're going with me."

As Rey wraps her arms around Kylo an alarm sounds in the cockpit. Startled, she drops her arms and says, "It looks like we are ready to drop out of hyperspace. I've got to get back in the pilot seat."

**Author note: Chapter posts 2 days in a row? Blame it on Covid19 restrictions. I'm stuck at home and may as well write.**


	38. Chapter 38: Could I Have This Dance

It's the day before the wedding and the Ghost has landed near Maz's castle on Takodana. There are other ships already on the ground but there is plenty of room for their freighter to set down. Rey is bubbling with happiness. She is so pleased that Poe and Finn are finally tying the knot.

The entry ramp opens and Rey darts down and into the grass. "Come on Kylo! Maz is waiting for me."

Kylo makes a more dignified descent on the ramp, then stops a moment to close it. "I'm coming, Rey!" He catches up to her as she bounces along toward Maz's castle. He hands over her backpack and adjusts his bag on his shoulder. "I was able to get us a room at the castle. Enjoy it while you can. We won't be back here for a while."

They walked up the grassy verge that led to the cantina."So what is this thing we are doing with Maz?" Kylo asked Rey. "I think you called it a 'makeover'?"

"It's just me, not us," replied Rey. "And it's something to do with clothes and hair arrangement. Also makeup."

Kylo looks skeptical. "I think you look fine," he says.

"Well, Maz has been good to us so if she wants to give me a 'makeover' I'm going to humor her."

"Humor her after lunch. A ration bar when we left Ahch-to isn't enough to keep me going."

They strolled into the bar and found an open table. Since they had been semi-regulars for while Maz's servers knew what to bring them - a big plate of sandwiches, fizzy water for Rey, and a lager for Kylo. They sat quietly for a while, working their way through the sandwiches.

Finally, Rey broke the silence with a question. "Kylo, do you know how to dance?"

"Yes I do," he replied, "I learned some basic dance steps when I was a padawan."

"Master Luke taught you to dance?" she asked wide-eyed, "I didn't know that was part of Jedi training."

"It's not," replied Kylo," My mother had been doing research and decided that we apprentices needed training in etiquette and other skills to help us move easily among the powerful and politically connected in the New Republic. Like the Jedi Order did during the Old Republic. So she came to the Academy during a long Senate break to teach the older ones to dance."

"Wow. What did Luke think about that?" asked Rey

"He reacted the same way he did to anything that didn't involve Force manipulation or lightsaber dueling. Noun, verb, Jedi Master. Specifically - 'I'm a Jedi Master, not a dance instructor.' She finally convinced him it would help with our movement and balance when dueling."

Rey laughed, "I can just see your mother trying to convince Master Luke to dance." She scowled and said in a fair imitation of Luke's voice, "Leia, I don't think this is wise. All this standing close together, holding each other, and moving creates attachments and leads to the Dark Side."

"Uncle Luke could be a bit of a strange duck," said Kylo with a grin. "And it didn't help that Kateria managed to upset him."

"So what did Kateria do this time?" asked Rey with a grin.

"Well, we had gone through the waltz step and the two-step and were at least not tripping over our feet and Kat decided that she and I were going to try to tango."

"Is that a difficult dance?" asked Rey.

"Very," replied Kylo, "and incredibly sensual if you do it right. Rolling down a hill in a tangle of limbs is not the right way to do the tango." He sighed. "Uncoordinated teenagers should not attempt the tango. I thought Uncle Luke was going to have a stroke. And my mother dragged us behind the temple and gave us a lecture on proper Jedi behavior and decorum."

"Could you teach me to dance?" Rey asked. "There's supposed to be dancing at the wedding tomorrow and I don't know how." She looked at him with puppy eyes, "I never learned on Jakku. Too busy surviving."

Puppy eyes are generally hard to resist, and when Rey pulls them on Kylo he immediately surrenders. "Sure, I can teach you something simple," he replies.

"Thank you!" she gushes, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him. Public displays of affection usually makes Kylo uncomfortable, but it's Rey, and he will put up with uncomfortable if it makes her happy.

"Aww, that's sweet," says a voice at tabletop level. They look around and see Maz standing next to the table. "I need to borrow your girlfriend for a while Kylo."

"Hi Maz," said Kylo

"I'm not his girlfriend," protested Rey

"We'll see what we can do to rectify that," answered Maz cheekily. At her age, she was going to take her fun where she could find it.

Kylo decides that the smart man refrains comment and merely asks "Maz, do you have a music cube I can use? I promised Rey I'd teach her to dance."

"Certainly," answered Maz, "More traditional music or that cat squalling people call music these days?"

"How about a slow waltz?" said Kylo.

"I'll give her a music cube to take back to you when I'm done dolling her up."

As Maz takes her hand and pulls her toward the back room Rey looks back at Kylo with a look of uncertainty on her face.

"You'll be fine," he calls to her. "Probably." With a chuckle, he gets up from the table and heads out to the Ghost. He needed to work some more with his new lightsaber, and he might as well practice the Vaapad form.

A couple of hours later Rey was still with Maz. Kylo had run through the Vaapad form several times, taken a shower, and had spent some more time reading the allegedly indecipherable Jedi texts. Kylo was beginning to get antsy. Where was she? He lowered the entry ramp to the Ghost and goes out with the intention of going to the castle and looking for her. He wasn't checking up on her. No, of course not. It had just been a while and she might need him.

As Kylo walked towards the cantina he noticed a woman walking towards him. Well, a young lady walking towards him. Probably someone here for the wedding. As she got closer to him Kylo realized that the young lady was Rey. He was gobsmacked. He stopped in his tracks and greeted her with a single word. "Wow!" Apparently 'makeover' is code for taking a pretty young lady and making her breathtakingly beautiful.

Rey was wearing a simple white silk dress that swirled around her knees. It had a modest bodice and long flowing sleeves. Her hair was a mass of chestnut curls that rippled past her shoulders. And her face - her face was incredibly lovely. He could get lost in her eyes.

Rey waited a few minutes and finally said "Kylo, are you ready to teach me to dance?" She held out the music cube in her hands.

"Yes, of course," he said, slightly flustered.

"Well, come on then. Maz showed me the clearing set up for the wedding. You can teach me there." Rey took Kylo by the hand and led him over to a nearby clearing. There were tables and chairs stacked on one side, and the grass had been mowed short so people could walk around and dance if they chose. Rey pulled a chair out and put the music cube on the seat.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Let me see what music we have to work with," replied Kylo. He called up the directory and looked at the titles. He picked one out and cued it up. "Ok, I'm going to put my hand on your waist. Put your hand on my shoulder and take my other hand in your free hand. Once they had themselves arranged he said, "Instead of trying to describe the steps I want you to look at the images I'm going to project to you." He concentrated and said, "can you see them?"

"Yes, said Rey. "It doesn't look too hard." she smiled, "Easier than the dance we did in the throne room." He smiled back, then used the Force to turn on the music cube. A cascade of strings poured from the cube. Kylo began moving with Rey following along.

_I'll always remember the song they were playin' _

_The first time we danced and I knew _

_As we swayed to the music and held to each other _

_I fell in love with you_

They waltzed around the clearing. Rey felt the beat in her mind - One, two, three. One, two, three.

"Kylo?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember when we first met?"

"Here on Takodana? Of course. You were a vision of loveliness trying to blow my head off with a blaster you didn't know how to use."

"Well, in those black robes and that mask you were scary beyond all reason."

Kylo laughed, "Well, that was the whole point. Most people are easier to fight when you scare the crap out of them first."

He twirled her as they circled the clearing. "What did you think when I took off the mask in the interrogation room?" he asked.

She smiled, "Angry. I couldn't understand how someone so evil could be so gorgeous."

He smirked, "You flatter me. Though with the scar you gave me …"

"You're still beautiful to me, Kylo," answered Rey. "I'm sorry I did that. I was scared and angry and I hated what you had done to my friend, Finn. I wish I hadn't marked you like that."

"It is what it is, Rey."

They continue to dance to the music for a while.

"I sometimes wish I had taken your hand in the throne room after you killed Snoke," she said to Kylo.

"Why didn't you?" he asked.

"At the time I wanted Light Side, Jedi Ben, not Dark Side Sith Kylo," she admitted. "I wasn't ready to take your hand. You weren't either. We weren't balanced in the Force then. It would have been a disaster."

"And now?"

She doesn't answer the question, at least not yet. There is something else she needs to know.

"I have to ask, why did you go to Exegol and fight the Emperor with me, Kylo? I had fought you, stabbed you, almost killed you on Kef Bir. Why did you risk your life?"

Kylo looked down at her, eyes distant. "Part of the reason was to free myself from another creature that tried to be my master. Most of the reason - " his mouth quirked with a brief smile, "was I wasn't going to let you fight that monster alone."

"Why not let me fight alone?" She asked insistently as the circled the clearing to the music.

"A princess should never fight a dragon without her knight at her side."

"I'm not a princess," demurred Rey.

"A warrior queen, then."

He looked down at her face. She isn't a classic beauty, but to him, she's the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

_Could I have this dance for the rest of my life? _

_Would you be my partner every night? _

_When we're together it feels so right _

_Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?_

"Rey," said Kylo, "I love you."

She smiled up at him. "I love you, too."

They slowly stopped moving as the last of the music died away, holding each other, looking into each other's eyes. His asking permission, hers giving consent. He kissed her gently as the bond hummed with approval. As they stepped apart she reached out her hand and waited for him to take it. She picked up the music cube and led him back to the castle.

Maz watched the interchange from the veranda of the cantina profoundly satisfied. Oh, that makeover worked a treat. The boy can't take his eyes off of her. Anyone with eyes to see could tell they were meant to be together. She's good for him, just as he is for her. The road to redemption would be a long one for Kylo, but Rey would keep him on track.

Maz will tell anyone who asks that she's not a Jedi, but she is sensitive to the Force to a certain extent. Sometimes the Force will give her Third Sight about people and events. And the galaxy will need a stable dyad before too long.

Maz smiled. She wasn't matchmaking. No, not at all. The Force was taking care of that contingency. She had just greased the skids.

* * *

**Author's notes: Rey and Kylo are dancing the "Could I Have This Dance" as performed by Anne Murray. I'm a sucker for a good old fashioned romantic scene, so I tried to write one for our dynamic duo. Let me know what you think! I do enjoy getting comments.**


	39. Chapter 39: Chasing the Quarry

Inspector Falkus and Dr. Aurealia Galen sat at a table near the back of the bar and watched Kylo leave after Maz claimed Rey for some 'girl time.'

"So that's Kylo Ren," said Galen.

"Well, he might be," answered Inspector Falkus. "He's been using the name, Ben Solo. And the girl he travels with swears that Kylo Ren died over a year ago."

"Sounds like you're skeptical," said Galen.

"I am."

She closed her eyes and thought for a few minutes "Review the case for me again."

"I interviewed the girl and her alleged cousin, Ben Solo, about 9 months ago when they were on Coruscant. According to her Kylo Ren died on the planet Exegol during that dustup with that fleet called the Last Order. But there was no body and no autopsy. She claimed that the bodies of high-level Force users disappear when they die."

"They might," replied Galen. "I've never seen it happen, but I wouldn't be in the position to know. Does this girl have a name?"

"She says her name is Rey Skywalker."

"Luke's or Leia's?"

"Probably neither. I managed to connect her to a Resistance fighter known as either Rey No Last Name or Rey of Jakku."

"So you think she's using an alias?" asked Galen.

"I do, but it's not a very intelligent one. After that Darth Vader scandal connecting him to Leia Organa, the whole Skywalker family tree became pretty well known. I don't see how she could be a cousin to Ben Solo." Falkus picked up his mug of lager and took a long gulp.

Galen sighed and sipped her tea. "How about him? Do you know anything for certain?"

"No.," he said frustrated. "He may be Kylo Ren. He may be Ben Solo. He may be someone else running a con. When I interviewed him on Coruscant he said he had been in the Outer Rim for the last 8 years. Claimed to have been suffering from amnesia due to a head injury when Skywalker's academy was destroyed."

Galen pursed her lips thoughtfully. "It's possible. Post traumatic amnesia after a head injury is not uncommon. It's a little more complicated than 'I forgot who I was and what happened to me.' And to last 8 years is more unusual."

"I thought his story was a little thin, Lia."

"So how did you want to handle this, Peter?" asked Galen. "I can try to get a general read on him today before more people start showing up for tomorrow's shindig. You know I read better the fewer people around. More people means more mental clutter in the aether."

"How about looking for his memories of the Hosnian Cataclysm?" asked Inspector Falkus.

Galen shook her head. "I'd have to dig for those, not just read his surface thoughts. And if I dig too hard he's going to know I'm past his shields."

"I guess I'll stick with the original plan for that. Chat him up during the party after the wedding tomorrow and see if I can get him to think about Hosnia."

"What about today? Do you want me to take a peek?" she asked.

"Yeah, let's do that. Maybe we can figure out who he thinks he is," replied Falkus.

Galen finished the last of her tea and got up from the table. "I'll see you in a while at our shuttle," she says as she leaves the bar. Inspector Falkus watches her leave, picks up his lager, and drains it.

"You're playing a dangerous game Inspector," said a voice at his elbow. He nearly drops his mug but manages to set it down gently. "Just the person I wanted to see," he said turning toward the voice. "Hello, Maz."

"You know my rules" Maz chided him gently," I don't turn anyone over to the authorities of any government. I don't help said authorities arrest any of my patrons."

"Conceded," replied Falkus, "but you wouldn't be talking to me right now if you didn't have something to give me that wouldn't break your rules."

"Just this - those two kids are very powerful Force users. They are nice. polite, mostly law-abiding and wouldn't hesitate to go for the jugular to protect each other. And," she added "I have seen that they both will be too important to future events to be stuck in a jail cell somewhere."

"Precog, Maz? I didn't know you were a Jedi," said Falkus sarcastically.

"Jedi - no. Third Sight - occasionally."

"If he is Kylo Ren I will do what I need to do to bring him to justice."

"Just don't destroy my place as the First Order did. Rebuilding is such a chore."

While Inspector Falkus is talking to Maz Dr. Galen is walking down the grassy verge between the cantina and the field where various shuttles, freighters, and corsairs have parked. She has tamped her Force signature down to where it is virtually undetectable while she casts around for something that would point her to the young man the Inspector is interested in. He's supposed to be a Force sensitive, so unless he has it hidden also she should be able to find his signature.

"Aurelia," she muttered to herself, "why do you let yourself get caught up in this sort of shit?"

Aurelia Galen had never had Jedi training. By the time Luke Skywalker had started his Force academy she was a bit old to be a padawan, and in any case, she wasn't interested. Her focus was on medicine, and she devoted her early years to obtaining her medical doctorate and then specialized training in psychiatry. She was self-trained in using the Force, but she was primarily interested in mental manipulation. She was never interested in the floating rocks nonsense.

She walked around the parked vessels for a while, letting herself feel the currents in the Force. Finally, she sensed a bit of a disturbance in a small clearing not too far to the left and just past the tree line. She wandered casually in that direction. As she got closer she noticed bright purple flashes behind the trees.

When she stepped through the tree line she realized the purple is the blade of a lightsaber, wielded by the young man Falkus had pointed out to her earlier.

_Slowly and carefully,_ she reminded herself. Even with her Force signature masked to the point it was undetectable she could feel how strong his was. She watched him move through a series of stylized positions - some sort of lightsaber fighting form apparently. He reminded her of a jungle cat. A black panther - fast, silent, and deadly. He obviously knows she's watching him but he finishes the series of moves before he stops. "Do you want something?" he asks. His voice is deep and resonant, a velvety growl of a voice.

"Oh, I am so sorry I disturbed you, young man," she says distractedly. With much of her hair gray and the right mannerisms she easily gives off the vibe of a slightly ditzy, motherly, older woman. "I saw flashes over here and I just had to come to see what it was."

"It's not always wise to indulge one's curiosity," he said flatly.

"Oh, you're probably right," she chirped. As they talked she extended a whispery tendril of Force energy to see what she could gather from his upper level thoughts. It was slow and careful work. There was no telling what he would do if he felt what she was doing.

"My name is Aurelia Galen. And you are …?"

"I'm Ben," he replied. Galen thought she detected something there. Analysis later, though.

"Are you here for the wedding tomorrow?" she asked.

"My cousin is. I'm just along for the ride," he answered with a brief, small smile.

"I will most likely see you tomorrow then," she said with a big smile. "It was nice meeting you, Ben. I'll leave you to practice with your sword."

"Lightsaber."

"Sorry, lightsaber. Goodbye, Ben," she burbled.

As she left the cleaning she felt him thinking _The pilot and the traitor have some strange friends_.

Galen kept her thoughts innocuous until she was back on her shuttle. Now what, if anything did she get from that little interchange? His thoughts suggested that _Ben_ was not his preferred name. It felt like it had been discarded then taken up again. She thought it was a cover name but for what was not clear. His thoughts on his cousin were interesting. Galen was pretty sure the cousin was female and not really a cousin. Probably the girl who was sitting with him in the bar earlier.

That last thought - why did he think of Poe Dameron and Finn No Last Name as The Pilot and The Traitor? She sighed. She'd pass it along to the Inspector when they met up later. Maybe Peter would have a clue.


	40. Chapter 40: Arranging the Chess Board

Location: Maz's Castle/Cantina/Bar, Takodana. Time: Dawn. Today's Event: Wedding of Poe Dameron and Finn.

Kylo slowly woke up, the bright Takodana sun streaming in the window of the guest room at Maz's castle. Ok, he's awake and he's cuddled up with a nice, warm, sleeping armful of Rey against his chest. Not an unusual occurrence for them, what with needing to use the Force bond to block some Darksiders' mental attacks while they were asleep. But something is different.

Ok, they're presently lying in bed. Sans culotte. Also sans chemises, sans chaussettes, and sans sous-vêtements. Definitely au naturel. Did we … he thought a moment. Yes, yes we did. Frequently. With enthusiasm. In flagrante delicto. With a cherry on top. That was amazing. A slow smile crept over his lips. His bondmate was full of surprises.

"You're thinking loudly, love." Rey rolled over facing him, a contented smile on her face.

"Just thinking about you, sweetheart," he said lazily. "Contemplating the prospect of staying right here with you for the rest of the day."

She plants a slow and sensual kiss on his mouth. "Can't," she says. "We have a wedding to attend."

Kylo knows better than to suggest that they don't really need to make an appearance, but he's going to do his best to make it an early evening. Maybe even a little afternoon delight. Rey stretches, which cause all sorts of interesting reactions in Kylo. She slips out of bed and strolls to the fresher. Damn, that woman knows how to hold one's attention. Did she learn that sexy walk or is it just her natural charm? Whatever, Kylo is enjoying the show.

Rey disappears into the fresher, and a few minutes later Kylo hears the sound of running water. A moment later he hears "Oh Kylo, did you know this shower is big enough for two people?" He grins and says "Be right there."

A long leisurely shower, a bit of playtime, and some quick clean up later and they were ready to make their appearance at breakfast. They head out the door and make a beeline to the veranda. They weren't disappointed - Maz has proved once again that not only was breakfast the most important meal of the day, she knew how to do it up properly.

As they approached the table they saw a familiar person sitting there, pouring out coffee from a metal carafe.

"Lando! You're here!" Rey squealed. "Did you bring them?" "I certainly did, my dear,' he replied, a big smile adorning his face.

"Them?" asked Kylo.

"Wedding presents for Poe and Finn," she replied.

"So what are you giving the happy couple?" asked Kylo, smiling at her obvious excitement.

She took the box in front of Lando, lifted the lid, and showed it to Kylo.

"His and His matching blasters. Aren't they adorable?"

"That ... is not a word I would ever use to describe a blaster."

"You have no imagination, Kylo," she smirked.

"I have plenty of imagination. Blasters can be called functional, sturdy, deadly, even elegant. Adorable? Not so much."

"Well, I think they're adorable."

"I would never disagree with a lady," laughed Lando, "Especially when she is as beautiful and elegant as Rey."

"Flatter." laughs Rey.

"Allow an old man the indulgence of complementing a lovely lady."

"Just remember she's spoken for, Lando," said Kylo, semi-serious.

"Of course, Kylo."

"Umm, I asked him to use the name Ben Solo while the wedding party is here, Lando," said Rey.

"I don't particularly like it, but I could see her point," interjected Kylo. "You can just imagine the panic that would occur if this lot found out that Kylo Ren was at their wedding."

"What about the Kylo Ren/Ben Solo rumor?" asked Lando. "It's been floating around for a while. It's bound to come up sooner or later."

"Obfuscate and change the subject," answered Kylo. "Fuzz people's minds with the Force if I have to. I'm willing to fly under the radar for Rey's sake, but if we get pinned down I'm not going to lie. I'm not ashamed of who I am."

"Well, I hope you have everything packed and back in the Ghost by this afternoon, You might need to make a quick getaway."

"Taking care of that after breakfast, Uncle Lando."

"Han would be proud, my boy," said Lando.

Kylo winched but otherwise let the comment go. He reaches for one of the carafes and pours coffee for himself and Rey. They work their way through breakfast while Lando regales Rey with stories about Kylo as a kid and Kylo reminds himself that Force choking Lando would be a bad thing as well as upsetting Rey.

Thankfully, Maz strolls up to claim Rey for another makeover session before Kylo loses his temper.

"Come along young lady," she says to Rey. "The wedding is in a few hours and I want to get you situated before I go bully the staff."

"I'll meet you back here in a couple of hours, love," Rey called to Kylo as she followed Maz across the veranda.

"So what are you going to do while Rey is getting dolled up?" asked Lando.

"Get our stuff from the room, secure it in the Ghost, and spend several hours meditating," answered Kylo. "Otherwise I'll be tempted to do something … unwise later on."

Maz's establishment is renowned for having private nooks and crannies for discrete meetings between discerning guests. Said guests could be pirates, smugglers, mercenaries, or in extreme cases, members of legitimate law enforcement agencies. So it is not unusual for Inspector Falkus and Dr. Galen to find themselves having a quiet breakfast in a secluded alcove, drinking excellent coffee and noshing on croissants.

"I'm having second thoughts about this, Peter," said Dr. Galen as she liberally doused her coffee with cream and sugar. "Kylo Ren has the reputation of being a strong Force sensitive. A temperamental, cranky, unpredictable Force sensitive. I don't have any desire to be filleted by a lightsaber."

"I got the impression last night that you hadn't determined whether he was Kylo Ren or not," replied the Inspector.

"I don't _know_ positively, Peter. What I do know is that while he used the name 'Ben' it wasn't the name with which he mentally associated himself. When he thought about his cousin there was a definite air of subterfuge associated with it. It's probably the girl he's traveling with but they aren't cousins." Galen sipped some coffee, then put her cup back in the saucer.

"The two of them could be just pulling a long con." said the Inspector.

"I don't think so," replied Dr. Galen. "He was going through saber forms with a purple bladed lightsaber when I found him yesterday. If he's not a Jedi then he's been Jedi trained. And he handled the blade like an expert."

"I thought Ren had a red bladed lightsaber."

"Red, purple, I don't think the color matters that much, Peter. How many lightsaber experts are left in the galaxy? I'm willing to bet there aren't many besides Kylo Ren."

They sat silently for several minutes, Inspector Falkus picked up his coffee, took a gulp, and seriously thought about adding some whiskey. It's still early but screw it, this is giving him a headache.

Finally .Dr. Galen broke the silence and asked "Did you ever figure out what 'the pilot and the traitor' means? I'm positive he was thinking about Poe Dameron and Finn No Last Name."

Inspector Falkus leaned back in his chair, his eyes thoughtful. "Poe Dameron was a pilot with Leia Organa's Resistance group. Dameron told me that he met Finn in the detention center of the First Order Star Destroyer Finalizer. If he was a First Order deserter …"

"It would make sense for another First Order member to call him a traitor," said Dr. Galen, finishing his thought. "I think we've found Kylo Ren, Peter."

"So what do you want to do, Lia? If you think it's too dangerous I won't push you," asked Falkus.

She gently chewed her bottom lip, weighing the options. "Let's stick with the plan for now."


	41. Chapter 41: Love Will Keep Us Together

It was early afternoon at Maz's castle on Takodana. Poe and Finn were ensconced in a very nice room where they were getting dressed in their wedding finery. Finn heaved a happy sigh as he looked at his husband-to-be. The matching formal dove gray suits they had picked out flattered his frame and his coloring. He took Poe's hand in his and planted a kiss on the back.

"I almost can't believe we are finally at this point. It feels like a dream," said Finn, looking into his partner's eyes.

"If you hadn't decided to desert and if I wasn't being questioned in the detention wing on the Finalizer we may have never met," answered Poe.

"Yeah, well, I'm not thanking the First Order for bringing us together," said Finn disdainfully.

Poe laughed, "Well, I didn't invite Kylo Ren or General Hux to come to our nuptials."

"Speaking of guests, I saw Rose as I was coming here to get dressed. She's dating Matt the radar tech. Brought him as her plus-one." said Finn.

"Really? I didn't think he was her type. He's a bit of a geek." commented Poe.

"He's also a top-shelf slicer. I understand he retrained after the Resistance wound down. It was love at first hack." Finn smiled about the unlikely match-up.

Poe reached up and adjusted Finn's ascot. "Ready to go, buddy? Do you have my ring and a copy of the vows?"

"What, you haven't memorized the vows yet?" asked Finn jokingly.

"Of course I did! But pilots always have a backup, just in case."

As the prospective husbands finish their preparations Rey is out on the veranda looking for Kylo.

_[[Kylo, where are you? You were supposed to meet me on the veranda.]]_

Nothing. Not a peep over their Force bond.

_[[Kylo? Are you alright? Is something wrong?]]_

A little more silence. Then she feels the Force bond open on his end.

_{{I'm not sure I want to do this.}}_

She's surprised and a bit shocked. In all the time they have been together he has not hesitated to face a challenge. Besides, this was just a wedding.

_[[Why not? It's just a wedding ceremony. It's not like we're heading into a fight.]]_

_{{It could be a fight. If any of this lot recognizes me it's going to go pear-shaped pretty damn fast. And if any of these idiots attack me I'm going to defend myself. It won't be pretty.}}_

Rey has been gone from Jakku for quite some time but at her heart, she's still a scavenger. She doesn't give up on something she wants and will work on it until she obtains her prize.

_[[Kylo, I really want you to come with me to the wedding.]]_

_{{It's a bad idea, Rey.}}_

_[[Pleeeeese Kylo.]]_

_{{Reeeey … }}_

_[[We can leave early.]]_

_{{Hmmmm.}}_

_[[I'll make it worth you while - later.]]_

_{{By 'worth your while' do you mean -}}_

_[[With a cherry on top, Kylo.]]_

_{{But you were going to do that anyway.}}_

_[[Maaaybe. Ok, yes I was. But you're coming to the wedding, right?]]_

_{{Oh, all right. I'll be there in a few minutes.}}_

In another part of the castle, the Inspector and the Doctor are making sure they are both on the same page vis a vis finding out what Kylo Ren knows about the Hosnian Cataclysm.

"Peter, I want to make sure we a both clear on what is going to happen this evening."

"Technically it will be late afternoon, Lia."

"Afternoon, evening, whatever. After the ceremony and during the reception." Galen snapped. "You are going to engage the young man in a casual we-are-both-guests-at-this-thing small talk. You are going to work in the Hosnian Cataclysm and only the Hosnian Cataclysm without raising his suspicions while I sit nearby and see what I can determine from his thoughts on his involvement and/or culpability. Hopefully without alerting him that I'm past his mental shields."

"Lia, I've done this before. I know how to approach him." retorted Falkus.

"I know Peter," said Galen."It's just that - well- this is Kylo Ren."

"He's only human, Lia. Honestly, if you can't calm down I'll call this off."

"No, I'm ok Peter. Let's just get this over with."

Rey is getting antsy. It's been a half-hour and no Kylo. She would start pacing but the shoes that Maz gave her for this dress have a ridiculously thin and high heel. She's finally stopped wobbling and maybe she can dance in them - if it's a really slow dance where she barely moves her feet.

She finally feels Kylo through the Force bond. He's coming up behind her from where the Ghost is parked. She turns around to say "Finally!" and stops, totally speechless. Kylo has dressed for the occasion in black slacks, grey silk long-sleeved shirt, and a sleeveless charcoal grey tunic vest secured with a wide black leather belt.

Kylo grinned at her reaction. "It's a wedding," he said. "I wasn't going to show up in jeans and a work shirt." He looked her up and down appreciatively. "Sapphire blue is definitely your color." He offered her his arm. "Those shoes make your legs look amazing." He smirked, "Are you using the Force to balance in them?"

"Funny," she replied as they walked toward the clearing where the wedding would be held, "And perceptive. If we were looking at a fight I'd kick them off and use them for weapons."

As they approach the venue Rey sighs happily. "Kylo, it's just so beautiful! The flowers, the lights strung in the trees, the white carpet leading up to the altar, the gorgeous arch," she sighed. "This is what I want someday." Kylo hums in reply. He's not quite ready to think about weddings and marriage yet, His parents' marriage bounced between frosty and fiery, and he doesn't feel like he has had a good example of how to make one work. When he asks someone to marry him he wants to make sure he's ready to be married.

There is a big open area where the guests will watch the ceremony and later use it for dancing. Toward the back of the clearing and around the edges under the trees are tables and seating for the reception after the ceremony. At the back of the clearing and nearer to the cantina are several long buffet table with a variety of finger foods, a wine fountain, and a huge wedding cake. Poe and Finn had also sprung for an open bar, which considering the guest list could definitely contribute to potential interesting times later in the evening.

As they enter the clearing Kylo leans down and murmurs in Rey's ear, "It would probably be for the best if I stay back here. You go on up if you want."

Rey is torn. She wants to go up and honor her friends properly but she also wants to stay back with Kylo. "Go on, I'll be fine," he says as he nudges her gently with his shoulder.

It's finally time. The presiding cleric, a beadle from the Church of the Force, proceeded up the carpet and through the arch, resplendent in the Jedi inspired robes of his office. As he turned to face the wedding guests, music plays through the clearing and a sweet clear soprano voice sings:

_There was a time when I would have believed them_

_If they told me that you could not come true_

_Just love's illusion_

_But then you found me_

_And everything changed_

_And I believe in something again_

Poe and Finn step on the carpet and begin to walk arm and arm toward the front of the clearing. The music continues and the voice sings:

_My whole heart_

_Will be yours forever_

_This is a beautiful start_

_To a lifelong love letter_

As Poe and Finn step through the arch the last verse of the songs floats in the late afternoon air:

_Tell the world that we finally got it all right_

_I choose _

_You_

_I will become yours and you will become mine_

_I choose _

_You_

_I choose _

_You_

The Beadle looks out at the gathering and says, "Welcome, family, friends and loved ones. Welcome to one and all who have traveled from the near and far parts of the galaxy. We gather here today to celebrate the wedding of Poe and Finn. You have come here to share in this formal commitment they make to one another, to offer your love and support to this union. Poe and Finn thank you for your presence here today and now ask for your blessing, encouragement, and lifelong support, for their decision to be married."

He looks at Poe and Finn and continues, "Marriage is perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure of human relationships. No ceremony can create your marriage; only you can do that—through love and patience; through dedication and perseverance.

What this ceremony can do is to witness and affirm the choice you make to stand together as lifemates and partners. I would like to invite you to make your vows to each other."

Poe and Finn turn to each other and clasp hands.

Finn clears his throat and says, "Poe, you have stood by me and helped me go from a just a Stormtrooper to an actual person. You were always there when I needed you. I choose you. I will never leave you or turn away from you. Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live. I will share your joys and your sorrows. I will love you and cherish you as long as life and love exist."

There is a glint of a tear in Poe's eye as he makes his vow, "Finn, you found me facing death and rescued me. You have been my friend and a pillar of strength for me when times were dark. I choose you. I will never leave you or turn away from you. Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live. I will share your joys and your sorrows. I will love you and cherish you as long as life and love exist."

The two grooms, still holding hands, face the Beadle. He turns to Poe and says, "Poe, do you take Finn as your husband?" Poe looks into Finn's eyes and says, "I do."

The Beadle turns to Finn, "Finn, do you take Poe as your husband?" Finn smiles and says, "I do."

Finally, it's time to exchange rings. Poe puts the wedding band on Finn's left hand, and Finn does the same for Poe.

"By the power vested in me by the Church of the Force," said the Beadle, "I now pronounce you Husbands for Life."

Poe and Finn wrap their arms around each other and exchange a long, loving kiss.

When they finish the Beadle turns them to face their gathered friends and says "I present to you, Poe and Finn Dameron."

As the crowd cheers, Kylo hears Rey whispering through the Force bond, _[[This is what I want for us someday.]]_ Kylo smiles and replies, _{{Are you proposing marriage to me Rey Skywalker?}}_ _[[Not yet. We aren't ready. But someday I will marry you, Kylo Ren]] {{Someday, yes}}_ he agrees.

* * *

**Author's Note**

**Several notes for this chapter.**

**The song that played during the ceremony was 'I Choose You" by Sara Bareilles**

**A 'Beadle' is A ceremonial officer of a church, college, or similar institution. Courtesy today's Word of the Day email list. :-)**

**I got my inspiration for the ceremony from .com**

**My song list for the reception:**

**Wagon Wheel - Darius Rucker**

**I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston**

**More Than a Feeling - Boston**

**Stand by Me -Ben E King**

**Signed, Sealed Delivered - Stevie Wonder**

**Don't Stop Believing - Journey**

**Free Falling - Tom Petty**

**Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks**

**Forever and Ever Amen - Randy Travis**

**Nothing Else Matters - Metallica**

**Anyone have a song or two to add?**


	42. Chapter 42: If You Could Read My Mind

It's moving toward the early evening. The reception has been rolling along for several hours and shows no sign of breaking up soon. Kylo is sitting at a table near the back of the clearing, nursing his third Corellian brandy. He loose enough that the antics of the wedding guests aren't grating on his nerves too badly but not far enough along that he has dropped his guard. It would be more bearable if everyone wasn't thinking so loudly, though.

And singing. Who sings "Straight to Hell" at a wedding? Or "Friends in Low Places" for that matter. Although, considering that these are almost all ex-Resistance fighters their sense of decorum is probably minimal. And to be honest, if his mother, General Organa were here she would be singing along and matching them drink for drink. He takes a quick look around and then sighs in relief. No sign of her Force ghost.

Rey is out in the crowd, happy to see her friends again. She's dancing with the former Stormtrooper, the traitor, FN-2187. Although he can't call him that anymore if he doesn't want to upset Rey. He doesn't really like that she's dancing with him, but since the traitor is newly married to the pilot he shouldn't feel so possessive. Really, he shouldn't. Ah, screw it. He's a Darksider. At least, he's more Dark than Light, even though he's balancing a bit more. Whatever. It's his nature to be possessive.

He has a choice here. He can be Dark Lord-ish and go out there and make a fuss. That definitely has a satisfactory feel to it but Rey would be angry and that would kill his plans for when this interminable reception was over. So that's out. Alternatively, he could lean into her Light to boost the little Light he has and let it calm him down until Rey is ready to leave. And there's always just leaving and going back to the Ghost. Maybe spend some time in meditation and see if he can tease more information on Gray Force-sensitives from the allegedly indecipherable Jedi texts. Decisions, decisions.

He had just settled on leaning into the Light and was beginning to feel a bit mellow when he noticed a couple of people heading toward his table. Was that … shit, yes it was. Inspector Falkus. What's he doing here? And that ditzy woman who tried to talk to him when he was practicing the Vaapad lightsaber form. Damn. And he had just gotten chill enough to tolerate this crowd of former Resistance clowns. He sighed. Either he's being punished for some unknown offense or the Force is just being an asshole again.

_[[Is something wrong, Kylo? You feel unsettled.]] _

_{{I'm ok, Rey. Our friend Inspector Falkus is at this shindig.}} _

_[[Do you need me to come to you? We can leave if you have to.]] _

_{{Rey, I stood up to Snoke and Darth Sidious. I can handle this guy. I'm fine.}} _

_[[Wellll … if you say so.]] _

_{{Am I going to have to spank you?}} _

_[[Maaaybe. But not because I asked if you needed help.]] _

_{{Love you, sweetheart.}}_

_[[Kiss, kiss, Kylo.]]_

"Mr. Solo, what an interesting coincidence meeting you here," said Inspector Falkus as he walked up to Kylo's table. "Do you mind if we sit?"

"Be my guest," Kylo replied. He looked at Dr. Galen. "Hello Ms. Galen," he said politely. "Enjoying the party?"

"Immensely," she replied. "And the wedding ceremony was lovely." She decided to keep up the ditsy older woman facade for the moment, so she chattered on for a few more minutes about the ceremony. "Such a lovely location. The venue is a bit off the beaten path though."

"Maz's usual clientele don't come here for events such as weddings," said Kylo dryly. "Smugglers, pirates, bounty hunters, and general all-around scoundrels, but not happy couples looking for the perfect place to get married. Maz has a bit of a reputation as a pirate queen."

"My goodness!" she gasped. "How does she manage a crowd of such unsavory characters?"

"She has two immutable rules - anyone who starts a fight is tossed out on their ear and she doesn't turn anyone over to the gendarmes," answered Kylo. "There's an unpublished third rule - if you are a big enough problem that she needs to take extreme measures no one will know where the body is buried."

"Oh dear!" she exclaimed. She turned to Falkus. "Peter, you aren't planning to arrest anyone while we're here, are you?"

"No, of course not Aurelia," he said soothingly. "Why don't you get a refill on your drink?"

"What a good idea!" she replied, getting to her feet and meandering over to the open bar.

Falkus watched her go for a moment. "Aurelia is a bit ditzy at times, but she's a good person."

"Your wife?" asked Kylo, thinking that small talk was work.

"No, work colleague actually," said Falkus. "My wife took the kids to see her folks on Corellia. I hate making hyperspace trips by myself and Aurelia just happened to have some free time."

While Inspector Falkus slowly leads the conversation from topic to topic Dr. Galen watches from the bar as her drink is prepared. She's fairly confident that the young man has bought into her airhead routine. She thanks the bartender, picks up her drink, and quietly returns to the table. Falkus sees her coming out of the corner of his eye and smoothly begins to work his way to the Hosnian Cataclysm.

"I'm actually here for two reasons," said Falkus. "Poe Dameron is one of my junior inspectors and he invited me to the nuptials. I'm also following up a lead that may be connected to the Hosnian Cataclysm."

Kylo does his best to keep his reaction from his face. Damn, his Dark Lord mask would be really handy right now. "I've heard about the Hosnian Cataclysm but I don't know a lot about it," he said. "Information from the Core takes a while to filter through the Outer Rim. My cousin didn't tell me much about it when she found me. Of course, it was old news by then."

Inspector Falkus sat back a little in his chair. "My information puts Kylo Ren on Takodana when the First Order fired the Starkiller Base weapon and destroyed Hosnia Prime and the Hosnian system. I'm trying to determine if his attack on Maz Katana's citadel was connected to the destruction of Hosnia and the New Republic government." He watched Kylo's face, trying to discern anything from his expression.

Galen sat in the shadows, her focus on Kylo. Her mind ghosted gently through his shields, moving as thin and unsubstantial as a phantom, observing his memories and emotions as Falkus asked him about the Hosnian Cataclysm. Images, voices flow past as she reaches with spectral fingers for the ones concerning Starkiller Base and the destruction of the Hosnia system. She is oh so careful, keeping her mental touch as light as a butterfly's kiss, so light and ephemeral that Kylo doesn't notice she is there.

Kylo is beginning to lose his patience, with his temper not far behind. "Again, Inspector, anything I could say about the Hosnian Cataclysm would be second or third hand." He stands up from the table, mentally reaching through the Force bond to Rey.

_{{Rey, I think I'm … }}_ His thought to Rey cuts off in mid-sentence as something extremely powerful slams into his mental shields. There's not only pressure there is pain, plenty of pain. As Kylo fights to maintain his shields he feels Rey's Force energy barreling through the Bond to help shore them up.

The last thing he perceives before he blacks out is Rey mentally screaming _[[Kylo!]]_

* * *

Author Notes: Every hero, anti-hero, sort-of-hero, and poor-slob-hanging-around-minding-his-business-who-gets-smacked-by-the-hand-of-fate-hero needs to have a big bad to fight and hopefully overthrow by the end of the story. This looked like a good place for the big bad to surface again. Ending in a cliffhanger allows for some interesting reveals in the next chapter.

I will continue to hope that Calliope, the Greek Muse of Epic Poetry, continues to bless my brain with interesting things to write about Kylo and Rey.


	43. Chapter 43: A Pause in the Action

_What the hell was that?_ thought Aurelia. She had been reaching for a vivid memory of a discussion the young man had with Supreme Leader Snoke and General Armitage Hux about Starkiller Base when she had been tossed violently out of his mind by … something. Something that was attacking his mental shields. She immediately tamped down her Force signature to a whisper. If someone is hunting Force-sensitives she isn't going to put out a mental welcome mat.

As she becomes more fully aware of her body she realizes that she is sitting on the ground next to her chair. A voice is calling her name. After a moment she recognizes the voice. It's Peter. She opens her eyes and sees him kneeling next to her.

"I'm alright Peter. I'm just a little dizzy. What just happened?"

"I don't know Lia. Solo had just stood up and suddenly he dropped to the ground like he had been poleaxed. You jumped like something had hit you and fell out of your chair. Then Rey Skywalker came tearing across the clearing. She's over there with Solo." The Inspector shook his head. "I didn't feel a thing but it looks like you did. And they did."

He helped her sit up. "Solo doesn't look too good. Are you up for checking him out?"

She thought a moment. "Yes, I'm fine. Let's get him out of this crowd. Is there a med bay here?"

"I don't think so. I'll check after we get him inside." replied the Inspector.

"If there isn't I can get by with just a med-pack," said Aurelia. The Inspector stood, put out his hand, and helped her up. They moved around the table to where Kylo lay on the ground, unconscious.

Maz Kanata suddenly appeared next to the table. "I felt that! What happened Inspector?"

"I don't know Maz! We were having a conversation, Solo stood up and then fell to the ground. And Dr. Galen was knocked out of her chair," replied the Inspector.

Maz looked around the clearing. The party was roaring along. A group of former Resistance pilots had formed a conga line headed by Poe and Finn. She waved a couple of her staff/security/bouncers over and directed them to carry Kylo into the building.

"I'm not sure we should move him," said a worried female voice. Rey was hovering over Kylo protectively. Aurelia knelt down next to her and said in a soothing voice, "I'm Dr. Galen, dear. Let me take a quick look to make sure we can move him safely." Rey moved over reluctantly to let her examine Kylo.

Aurelia checked his head. Yep, there's a bump there. Nothing serious. Doesn't appear to be any other damage from the fall. "I think we can move him. I can give him a more thorough examination away from this crowd." She took Rey's hand. "Come along, dear. I'm sure he will be fine."

Maz's staff picked up Kylo and carefully moved him into the building. Aurelia gently pulled Rey with her as they followed behind with the Inspector. Maz led them to a small, quiet room with a single bed, a small table, and a couple of chairs. The staff laid Kylo carefully on the bed and withdrew.

"Let me know if you need anything," said Maz as she left the room.

"Do you want me to stay, Dr. Galen?" asked the Inspector.

"I think we'll be ok, Peter. Could you please ask Maz if she has a med-pack I can use? I don't know if I will need it but it doesn't hurt to have it on hand."

"Sure Doc," said the Inspector as he turned and left the room.

As soon as the Inspector leaves Rey moves over to sit on the bed next to Kylo. She is holding his hand, her lips pressed firmly together to keep them from trembling. Her eyes are bright and damp but she manages to keep tears from falling. Aurelia looks at her thoughtfully. She's sure there is nothing physically wrong with … ok, he's Kylo Ren. That's who he thought he was in the one memory she had observed before she was kicked out of his mind. There is nothing physically wrong with Kylo Ren beyond the bump to his head when he collapsed.

Psychically, she not sure. She wants to check his mental integrity and his shields but that would require opening up her Force signature. There haven't been any more attacks but that doesn't mean there won't be. And to complicate things, the young lady sitting next to arguably the most powerful Force-sensitive in the known galaxy is also a strong Force-sensitive. Maybe as strong as he is. Aurelia doesn't necessarily hide the fact that she is Force-sensitive, but she is circumspect about it. Very few people know. So does she open up her Force signature or does she keep it tamped down and assume his mind and shields are okay?

She sighs. She's a medical doctor. She's sworn an oath to treat patients to the best of her ability. "Cum crescit usque ad contritionem carissimi" she muttered.

There is a knock on the door and Inspector Falkus comes in with a med-pack. Aurelia looks up and says "Thank you Inspector Falkus. Could you put it on the table?"

He does so, then looks at her and says "Could I speak with you for a moment Dr. Galen?"

"Certainly Inspector" she replies. She looks at Rey and says "I'll be out in the hall, miss. I'll be just a couple of minutes." Rey nods distractedly, her eyes fixed on Kylo.

The Inspector steps out with Aurelia and closes the door. He looks at her for an uncomfortable minute and finally says "Well?"

"Well what, Peter?"

"Did you get anything from him on the Hosnian Cataclysm?"

"I had only just gotten through his shields when I got thrown out of his mind. No, I didn't."

"Did he do that? Does he suspect anything?"

"I sincerely doubt he knew I was there. Getting tossed out was a side effect of a rather powerful Force attack on the young man."

"Crap," muttered the Inspector. "This is getting complicated. So what about now? Can you go in before he wakes up and look for the information I need?"

Aurelia looked profoundly offended. "Ben Solo, Kylo Ren, or whatever he calls himself is currently a patient under my care as a physician. I'm not going to compromise my medical ethics and go rooting around in his mind for you. Not now."

"The First Senator is pressing me for an update," growled the Inspector.

"Tell Senator Jac-quall to take his demand for an update, fold it into sharp corners and shove it up the appropriate orifice." snapped Aurelia. "I need to get back to my patient." She left the bemused Inspector in the hall and went back into the room. Rey was still sitting next to Kylo, holding his hand.

"Miss - I didn't catch your name earlier." began Aurelia

Rey looked up from the unconscious Kylo. "I'm Rey Skywalker."

"I'm Dr. Aurelia Galen. Are you related to the patient, Rey Skywalker?"

"Umm, yes?"

"I need permission from next-of-kin or at least a family member for the next step in my examination. Are you his next-of-kin?"

"I'm his cousin," she says in a small voice, looking down at Kylo. "I'm the only family he has."

"Young lady," said Aurelia in a brisk, no-nonsense voice, "Can we be honest with each other?"

Rey looked up at her questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"You're not really his cousin, are you?" asked Aurelia.

"Umm, why do you say that?" stammered Rey.

"The Skywalker family tree was extensively analyzed after Leia Organa was outed as the daughter of Darth Vader." explained the doctor. "Unless the Jedi rules for relationships changed significantly Ben Solo couldn't have a Skywalker cousin."

Rey got a panicky look on her face.

"I'm not going to tell anyone," said Aurelia reassuringly. "Nor am going to tell anyone that Ben Solo is really Kylo Ren. As an ethical physician, the welfare of my patient comes first and foremost."

While she is speaking Aurelia slowly opens her Force signature, watching Rey as she realizes that there is another Force-sensitive in the room.

"Yes dear, I'm Force-sensitive also. It's not something one noised about when Supreme Leader Snoke had his Knights hunting them. Now, what is your relationship to my patient?"

Rey shook her head. "I'm not sure what to say. It's complicated." She stopped to think about what she wanted to say. She trusts the doctor, but still feels wary about saying too much. "Do you know what a Force bond is?"

"Surprisingly, yes," replied Aurelia. "I'm not formally trained as a Jedi but if you know where to look there's a lot of information out there about the Force and various Force power manifestations."

"B - Kylo and I have a Force bond. We can sense each other over great distances and we can read each other's thoughts."

"Can you read his thoughts right now?" queried Aurelia.

"No, not really. I catch hints but nothing concrete."

"And that has you worried."

"Yes. Either his shields are really strong or …" she's trying really hard not to cry, "… or he's hurt."

Aurelia sits on one of the chairs and thinks for a few minutes, absently drumming her fingers on the table. She looks up at Rey. "I think we can consider you next of kin for our purposes."

She stands up and moves over to the bed. "Physically the only thing I found was a small bump on the head from the fall. Psychically, I don't know if there is damage to his mind without going in and taking a look." She looks down at Kylo and back to Rey. "I need your permission to go in."

"What are you going to do in there?" asked Rey.

"Honestly, I won't know until I go in and see what, if any, damage is there." She looks at Rey speculatively. "I think you should go in with me. Your Force bond should help with his shields, and figuring out where he's hiding in there."

"Hiding?

"He was hit pretty hard. I'd be hiding if it had happened to me."

Rey studied Dr. Galen and thought about what she was proposing. Was it really necessary to look into Kylo's mind?

"Doctor," she asked, "Could we just let him wake up on his own?"

"We could," Aurelia replied, "But that Force attack was powerful enough that it was felt by other Force-sensitives here, I felt it, you felt it, and Maz felt it on the other side of the castle. It would be prudent to make sure Kylo didn't take any damage."

Rey sighed. She was still skeptical but she didn't want to take any chances. "Alright Doctor. What do we need to do?"

* * *

Author's Notes: Dr. Galen gets a chance to shine in this chapter. It makes sense since Kylo has been whacked around by a strong Force attack. I put Rey through the wringer and I'm a bit sorry for that, but - narrative necessity.


	44. Chapter 44: Through the Looking Glass

Rey was surprised when the doctor decided they would eat something before they did any Force energy work.

"We're going to expend a lot of energy doing this sort of work" declared the doctor. "I don't know about you but I need a bit more than a few bites of finger food from the reception."

Rey wasn't really hungry but she could see her point. Maz had sent in a platter of sandwiches and a pitcher of ice-cold juice, and both women spent some time munching.

"Dr. Galen," said Rey, "How did you know that my partner is Kylo Ren?"

"Do you mean what gave him away?" asked Aurelia. "For one, there is a rumor from a highly reliable source making the rounds that Ben Solo and Kylo Ren were the same person. For two, when your partner collapsed there was a mental scream of 'Kylo!' in the aether. Anyone who was strongly force-sensitive couldn't avoid hearing it."

She thought a moment. Should she let the girl know she had seen one of his memories? This whole business is getting complicated. She should have told Peter 'no' instead of asking for a written authorization from the First Speaker. She had been sure First Speaker Jac-quall would balk at that. He must want a sacrificial goat badly.

Yes. She needed to tell her. A calculated risk, but better than it coming up later. And the way she was going to frame it was true - from a certain point of view as the Jedi say. His shields weren't as strong as they should have been.

"One thing more," Aurelia offered, 'Kylo was projecting more than he realized when Inspector Falkus was talking to him about the Hosnian Cataclysm. I caught a memory where he was discussing Starkiller Base with a First Order officer and Supreme Leader Snoke. He thought of himself as Kylo Ren."

"He didn't have anything to do with the attack on the Hosnian system," said Rey defensively.

"Let's just table that for now. We need to focus on the task at hand," responded Aurelia as she brushed away the crumbs from her last sandwich. "I take it you are familiar with Jedi meditation techniques?"

"Yes," replied Rey. "I studied very briefly with Luke Skywalker. I was also trained in the basics by Leia Organa."

"Excellent," Aurelia allowed. She stood up, walked over to the bed, and settled on the floor, legs crossed, back straight. she patted the floor next to her and said "Down here my girl." Rey joined her on the floor and folded into the same position. Aurelia rested her right hand on her knee, palm up, and held her left hand out to Rey. "Take my hand please, and take one of your partner's hands."

Aurelia took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We are going to meditate until we are focused in the Force. Once we reach that state you and I will create a dreamscape in which to operate. Once the dreamscape is established I want you to take us through Kylo's mental shields. When we are past them we will step into his dreamscape and attempt to reach his sense of self."

Rey reached out with her left hand and took Aurelia's right. Turning slightly, she reached out with her right hand and took Kylo's left hand where it laid on his chest. "I'm ready Dr. Galen."

The two women began breathing slowly together, in and out, until their breathing was in sync.

"Reach out and embrace the Force," whispered Aurelia. She opened her perceptions and felt her essence connect to the Force. A moment late she felt Rey connect to the Force.

"Alright my girl," she thought to Rey. The dreamscape formed around them into Dr. Galen's office. It's a bright, cheerful place with a desk and office chair, a couple of comfortable chairs on one side of the room, and a couch on the other. There are a couple of low tables near the seating. The office door is closed. Rey turns to look at the door. "Kylo is in this direction. It feels like his shields are still intact, but weakened a bit."

"Can you take us through?" asked Aurelia. Rey put her right hand on the door and concentrated. "Yes, I think I can," she replied. She reached back with her left hand and took the doctor's hand, then she grabbed the doorknob, opened the door, and stepped through into Kylo's dreamscape.

They are standing on a spaceport tarmac. There are a few nondescript hangars and warehouse buildings nearby and a couple of dingy freighters parked next to them. Across the parking ramp is the Millennium Falcon. Both the cargo ramp and the boarding ramp on the ship are closed. They. walk over to the old freighter.

"He's in there," confirmed Rey as she put her right hand up against the closed boarding ramp. She closed her eyes and concentrated a moment. There is a click and the ramp slowly descended. They walk up the ramp and into the ship. As they step into the main corridor, Rey glances toward the cockpit but does not go in. "He's further back in the ship," she said.

They continue down the main corridor and into a larger area that contained the Dejarik table, the Engineering station, a lounge area, and the tiny galley. It's obvious the Kylo isn't in this part of the ship. Rey leads them across the room and into another section of the main corridor. Eventually, they come around to the crew quarters. "He's in here," confirmed Rey.

Rey steps over the opening, gesturing to the doctor to come along. Kylo is lying on one of the crew bunks. His eyes are closed and he appears to be asleep. He doesn't look injured. Aurelia holds up her hand to stop Rey before she can run over to her bondmate. "Let me take a look first," she cautions.

The doctor steps up to the crew bunk and focuses on Kylo. She extends her perceptions and examines his energy. He feels a bit weak but otherwise intact and undamaged. She turns to Rey and says "I think it's safe to wake him up." Rey kneels down next to the bunk, wraps her arms around Kylo, and says "Wake up love. I'm here and it's safe."

As Kylo stirs the Millennium Falcon dreamscape begins to dissipate. Aurelia releases her hold on the Force and opens her awareness to her physical body. She opens her eyes and stretches her arms and legs before she stands up. Her joints remind her that she isn't a spring chicken anymore as she goes over to the table and pours herself a drink.

Rey has returned and is kneeling next to the bed and leaning over Kylo, who is starting to stir and blink his eyes. Rey wraps her arms around him and exclaims, "Thank the Force you are alright!" He, in turn, wraps his arms around her and says "I'm fine love." He kisses her and lets her go so he can sit up.

"It was fortunate that Dr. Galen was attending Poe and Finn's wedding," Rey volunteered.

Kylo looked at Aurelia, his eyes narrowing. "Dr. Galen?"

"Yes," she answered calmly. "M.D."

"Well, _Dr._ Galen, would you mind telling me what the hell is going on?"

* * *

Author note: This is a sort of a transitional chapter. The action will pick up shortly.


	45. Chapter 45:Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

It was late in the evening. The reception was finally winding down. Aside from some drunken singing, loud hysterical laughter, and some interesting noises in the woods adjacent to the cleaning (apparently offerings to various fertility gods) Maz's place was settling down for the night. Or as much as a haven for crooks, scallawags, and general no-goodniks can settle down.

One place that wasn't anywhere close to settled, or even moderately quiet was a secluded sitting/conference room in an out-of-the-way corridor that Maz reserved for discrete discussions between persons who would otherwise never be seen in public together. In this case, she was attempting to limit the damage that would occur if Rey couldn't keep Kylo from losing his temper. Currently in attendance besides Maz were Kylo, Rey, Dr. Aurelia Galen, and Senior Inspector Peter Falkus.

Aurelia watched him pace back and forth and was reminded of her earlier comparison of Kylo to a black panther. If he were an actual jungle cat his tail would be puffed out like a bottle brush and swishing ominously.

"Supreme Leader Ren —" began the Inspector. Kylo stopped pacing and cut him off abruptly. "It's been over two years since I left the First Order. The only title I would claim presently is 'Master.' It will serve for now."

"Very well, Master Ren," replied Inspector Falkus, unruffled. Falkus had decided before entering the room that the worst thing he could do was lose his cool with an enraged Force-sensitive. Particularly this engaged Force-sensitive. Kylo Ren was known to use the Force to strangle people and throw them into walls. He and Aurelia would need to keep their wits about them to emerge from this conversation relatively intact and unharmed.

Kylo continued to pace around the room until Rey, tired of dealing with his nervous energy, grabbed his hand on his next pass, and firmly pulled him to a stop.

"Kylo, please sit down," requested Rey. "You're making the doctor and the inspector nervous."

"Good," growled Kylo. He stopped wearing a track in the carpeting and finally deigned to sit next to Rey at the round table near the back of the room. He glared at Dr. Galen and Inspector Falkus. "I want to know who attacked me. I want to know why I was attacked. I want to know how the United New Republic set it up. I also want to beat the crap out of something, but that's a side issue for now."

"Kylo!" chastised Maz sharply. "Do not damage my premises. You are a guest in my home. Behave accordingly."

Kylo took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. Rey reached over and took his hand, pouring Light side calm to him. "We're ok Maz" she advised.

"In answer to your question Master Ren," replied the Inspector, "The UNR doesn't have the capacity to launch a Force based attack against you or anyone. There aren't that many Force users of any level of sensitivity left in the UNR."

"We don't know who attacked you, Master Ren," replied . "Nor do we know why you were attacked. As far as we can tell all the Force users at the castle with more than a minimal level of sensitivity felt the attack to varying degrees."

"And who are you, Dr. Galen?" asked Kylo snidely. "Obviously you aren't a ditzy old biddy wandering around without a clue."

"I'm a medical doctor, a psychiatrist by profession though I am also qualified to practice general medicine. I am assisting Inspector Falkus in an investigation."

"And a Force-sensitive - fairly strong unless I miss my guess. Why were you hiding your Force signature?"

"You of all people would know the answer to that, Master Ren." she retorted. "Hiding one's Force signature had been a necessity for at least the last decade. Very few people know I'm a Force-sensitive."

"Kylo, please stop badgering the doctor," said Rey. "She made sure you weren't injured from the attack and helped me reach you afterward."

"No Rey, I'm curious now." He gave the doctor a sharp look. "_How_ do you help him in an investigation?"

Dr. Galen regarded him calmly, her hands folded primly on the table in front of her.

Inspector Falkus cleared his throat gently. "Master Ren, I have been tasked to investigate and determine who was culpable for the destruction of the Hosnian system, the 5 planets that made up the Hosnian system, the governing Senate of the New Republic, and 20 billion people residing in the system, which includes the12 billion people residing on Hosnian Prime."

"And you think I was responsible for the destruction." Kylo bit out disparagingly.

"A determination of culpability has yet to be made," answered the Inspector. "I have some questions I would like to ask you regarding your knowledge and involvement in the deployment of the Starkiller base weapon against the New Republic."

Rey, who had been listening to the interchange between Kylo and the Inspector, suddenly spoke up. "Excuse me, Inspector, I would like to talk to Kylo privately for a few minutes."

Maz stood up. "Come along, Inspector, Doctor. We can all use a break."

She opened the door and led the Inspector and the Doctor out into the hallway. She looked back at Kylo and Rey.

"Is 10 minutes long enough?" she asked. Rey nodded her head and Maz stepped into the hall and closed the door.

As soon as the door closed Kylo was up pacing again, agitation evident to Rey. She watched him for a few minutes, then stood up. "Kylo," she said firmly, "Come here."

He stopped and stood in front of her, his face a picture of frustration and anger. She reached out and lightly held his upper arms. He sighed and put his hands on her hips. He rested his forehead on hers and stood silently with her.

"Kylo," she said, lifting her head and looking into his eyes. "You need to give them what they want."

"What, a scapegoat for a show trial? Maybe if I'm lucky they'll execute me quickly instead of throwing me in a cell for the rest of my life," he answered her bitterly.

"Tell them the truth," advised Rey firmly. "Tell them what you told me, what you showed me in your memories."

"You're going to insist on this, aren't you?" replied Kylo wryly.

She wrapped her arms around him and held him close. "It's going to be alright, Kylo." She looked up at him and kissed him gently. "I love you, Kylo Ren."

He kissed her back. "I love you, Rey Skywalker."

While they were talking Maz led Dr. Galen and Inspector Falkus down the hall and out on a small veranda. The Inspector fumbled in his inside jacket pocket, pulling out a cigarra and a lighter. "Do you ladies mind if I smoke?"

Maz shrugged, and the Doctor frowned. "Peter, you know those things are bad for your health."

The Inspector lit the cigarra stepping downwind. "Lia, taking on Kylo Ren is bad for my health but I'm doing it anyway."

Dr. Galen wasn't done with the Inspector. She glared at him across the veranda. "Well Peter, this is a fine mess you've gotten me into."

The Inspector blew out a cloud of aromatic smoke. "Relax Doc. That girl won't let anything happened to us. I've approached her a few times already in this investigation and she had a handle on Ren. He's not going to do anything to us that might upset her."

They stood there a few minutes in silence, she with her thoughts and he with his cigarra.

Finally, Maz spoke up. "Inspector, there is an ancient phrase that is appropriate in this situation, 'Nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy.' This is your problem, not mine. Do not aggravate Kylo Ren, and do not damage my establishment. Keep your monkeys firmly in their cages."

She checked her chrono, "It's time to return. Do dispose of your cigarra properly Inspector."

Kylo and Rey were sitting quietly at the table when Maz, the Doctor, and the Inspector returned. When they are seated Kylo looked at the Inspector and said with a sigh of acquiescing, "I am ready to answer your questions." Rey reached over and took his hand as he spoke. "How do you want to do this?"

"I have other duties," said Maz. "Since you have all calmed down I'll leave you at it." With that, she left.

Inspector Falkus took out a recorder and a datapad. "The Senate of the United New Republic has charged me with the task of investigating the events leading up to the Hosnian Cataclysm. Part of this investigation includes inquiries into the involvement of the First Order and its leadership. I have a series of questions for you to answer. To verify the truthfulness of your answers I have asked Dr. Aurelia Galen to review your answers. The results of this investigation will be briefed to the First Speaker of the Senate of the United New Republic. Do you have any questions or comments before I start the recording?"

"Yes," said Kylo. "How will Dr. Galen review the truthfulness of my answers?"

"I am a Force-sensitive with extensive training in monitoring the thoughts of sentients," replied Dr. Galen.

"What if I don't agree to this monitoring?" countered Kylo.

"Then this interview will be considered concluded and I will contact my government and request further instructions." said the Inspector.

"I assure you, Master Ren, I will not examine or divulge anything that is not related to the topic of the investigation," affirmed Dr. Galen.

_[[Kylo]] _

_{{Yes, Rey?}} _

_[[I can link with you through the Force bond. If she tries to look at anything she's not supposed to I'll see it and tell you and you can boot her out and reinforce your shields.]]_

_{{Clever Rey. Thank you}}_

Kylo looked at the doctor. "Dr. Galen, I don't want to lower my mental shields after the attack earlier. However, I will let Rey through and she can be your conduit."

"Will that work for you Dr. Galen?" asked the Inspector.

"We'll make it work," responded Aurelia. "That is if Master Ren will agree to allow me access to his memories concerning Starkiller Base and the decision to attack the Hosnian system."

Kylo nodded. "I agree."

"Inspector, I will need a few minutes to meditate and link with Rey Skywalker in the Force. When I tell you I am ready you may start the recorder.

Aurelia closes her eyes and begins to focus. Shortly she nods and says "Ready."

Inspector Falkus starts the recorder, identifies himself and the other participants, states the reason for the interview, looks at his datapad, and begins his questions.

Q: What is your name?

A: Kylo Ren

Q: Is that your legal name?

A: It's the name I acknowledge.

Q: What is your legal name?

A: Ben Solo

Dr. Galen: Accurate but not complete.

Q: Please state your full legal name for the record.

A: Ben Bacca Organa Solo

Q: Were you involved in the construction of Starkiller Base?

A: No

Dr. Galen: Accurate but not complete.

Q: What was your involvement in Starkiller Base?

A: I was stationed there for approximately 6 months.

Q: What was your involvement in the weapon being constructed at Starkiller Base?

A: I assisted in kyber acquisition. I also assisted in kyber quality control.

Q: Elaborate, please.

A: Known locations of kyber crystals had been heavily mined by the Empire to construct the Death Stars. I was tasked by my master to search out untapped deposits on known planets and to seek other deposits as necessary. Quality control included inspecting the crystals for cracks or other defects before they were included in the array.

Q: Your master was Supreme Leader Snoke?

A: Yes.

Q: Who was involved in selecting the Hosnian system as a target?

A: Supreme Leader Snoke and General Armitage Hux.

Q: Why was the Hosnian system selected as a target?

A; Supreme Leader Snoke believed that the government of the New Republic was corrupt and unable to provide adequate governance to the galaxy at large. He had grown weary with the unending state of Cold War between the New Republic and the First Order and concluded that taking it out by targeting the Hosnian system was the appropriate action.

Q: Were you involved in the target selection?

A: Only to the extent that I argued against targeting an inhabited system.

Q: Elaborate, please.

A: I felt that an uninhabited system would be enough to demonstrate the power of Starkiller Base and would sufficiently cow the Senate that they would be willing to come to the negotiation table.

Dr. Galen: Accurate but not complete.

Q: Was there any other reason that you recommended an uninhabited system?

A: Yes. I could not in good conscience agree to the annihilation of an inhabited planet the way Alderaan was destroyed by the first Death Star.

Q: Did you bring your concerns to Supreme Leader Snoke?

A: Yes I did.

Q: What did he say?

A: He told me that my compassion was a weakness and that the decision had been made.

Q: Did you leave it at that?

A: No, I brought my objections to him several times. He finally punished me for persisting after he had told me the decision was made.

Dr. Galen: (horror evident in her voice) Force lightning? He used Force lightning on you?

A: Yes, That was one of his tools of discipline.

Q: Were you involved in the firing of the Starkiller weapon?

A: No. I was on Takodana on an unrelated assignment.

Q: What was your reaction when the Hosnian system was destroyed?

A: Inspector, it's virtually impossible to explain to someone who isn't Force-sensitive. The gut-wrenching horror a Force-sensitive feels in the Force … I just can't.

Inspector Falkus: Thank you for your cooperation, Master Ren. I'll be in touch if I have any other questions or if I need further clarification.

With that Inspector Falkus turned off the recorder.

Rey unlinks with Dr. Galen opens her eyes, stretches, and smiles at Kylo.

Dr. Galen opens her eyes, yawns, and looks speculatively at Kylo and Rey.

Rey takes Kylo's hand. "Let's go back to the Ghost."

They stand. "Good night Doctor, Inspector," says Rey as Kylo pulls her through the door.

When the door closes Auerila heaves a big sigh, looks at the Inspector, and states "I hope you got what you needed, Peter. I'm not doing that again."

* * *

Author's Notes: A few things to clarify.

Inspector Falkus is broadly based on the character "Colombo" from the '70's television series of the same name. Colombo smoked a cigar. The Star Wars equivalent is a cigarra ( wiki/Smoking )

Kylo's full legal name. Several other fanfics have suggested that Leia agreed to a trade-off when they named him. She got to give him the first name "Ben" after her hope, Obi-Wan. Han gave him the middle name "Bacca" after his hope, Chewbacca. I liked that so I included it here.

'Nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy' is Polish for 'Not my circus, not my monkeys.' Broadly it means 'not my problem.'

Kylo isn't an engineer or a technical designer. It seemed logical to me that he would be involved in the kyber crystal part of the Starkiller weapon.

It seemed to me that even as far in the Dark as he was, Kylo would still object to destroying an inhabited planet. I am sure as a child he heard stories about the destruction of Alderaan and as an empathic Force-sensitive, he would have felt how deeply it had affected his mother.

I admit that I'm veering off of canon quite a bit. I'm fine with that.


	46. Chapter 46: Post-Mortem Discussion

It was much later in the evening. Inspector Falkus and Doctor Galen were walking back to their shuttle. It was a dark, moonless night. The nights were always dark and moonless on Takodana. The path from the castle to the ship parking area was dimly lit with solar lamps, enough light to keep you from breaking an ankle but not enough to ruin your night vision. When your accommodations are the refuge for crooks, thieves, and ne'er-do-wells you want every advantage when you are out at night.

"So what next, Peter?" asked Aurelia, looking at the Inspector.

"Next I write up my report and send it and the interview to the First Speaker," answered the Inspector. "I would like you to give me your impressions if you don't mind."

"In writing?"

"Please. Can you get it to me by tomorrow morning?"

"I'll see what I can do Peter." They walked on a few more steps. Aurelia stopped and looked at Inspector Falkus. "He didn't lie to you, you know. A couple of his answers were incomplete but he did expand them when asked."

"So what did you think of him, Lia?"

"I liked him. That surprised me." She paused, trying to organize her thoughts. "From a Force-sensitive point of view he's pretty damn Dark. Not evil, though. He's passionate. Prone to anger."

She paused again and then continued. "He's truthful - he's been lied to so many times that he hates them. Trust issues, which isn't surprising. He has a short temper, used to solving problems with violence. He's a person you would want leading the armies if you had to go to war."

They started walking again. A few minutes later Inspector Falkus asked, "Do you think he tried to stop the Hosnian system destruction?"

Aurelia was silent a few minutes, thinking. "Yes, I do. I'll give him credit for that. Though from what I saw in his memories Supreme Leader Snoke had made up his mind on the strike."

She pursed her lips in thought. "I would expect Leia Organa's son to protest that sort of mass destruction. Honestly, though, I don't know if there was much he could do. I saw in his memories that Snoke used Force lightning on him when he objected too much." She shuddered, "That was … horrible. Sadistic. He's lucky he's still alive."

The walked on down the path, each caught up in their own thoughts. Finally, Aurelia spoke again.

"Peter?"

"Yes, Lia?"

"Is this going to make a difference?"

"What do you mean?"

She stopped and looked at him again, "Your report. My analysis. Is the First Speaker going to look at it objectively or is he going to hang the Hosnian Cataclysm around Ren's neck and use him for political advantage?"

Inspector Falkus didn't answer immediately. He had worked for the New Republic in one capacity or another for most of his adult life. The rhetoric was usually high-minded but a depressing number of officials were in government service to feather their own nests.

"Lia, I really don't know. It's a strong possibility." He shrugged. "Ren wasn't a low-level stormtrooper. He was the leader of the First Order for a while."

They started walking again. "People already think he's a villain," he continued. "The First Speaker won't hesitate to put him on trial if he thought it would give him an advantage."

"I think you're right," said Aurelia gloomily. "What are you going to do if Senator Jac-quall decides he needs to be arrested and charged?"

The Inspector shrugged again. "Not my job, Lia. I pity the poor bastards who try to arrest Kylo Ren, though."

As they neared the parked crafts a figure loomed in the dark. The Inspector slowly moved his hand down and loosened the flap over his blaster.

"You know Inspector if I really wanted to hurt you you'd already been on the ground writhing in pain." an amused voice purred out of the darkness.

"Take your hand off your blaster Peter," commanded Aurelia. "I'm not sensing any malice from Master Ren."

Kylo stepped closer, the dim light from the lamps giving him a somewhat sinister appearance.

"I take it you recognized my Force signature," he allowed.

She smiled slightly. "That, and the fact that you have a very distinctive voice."

He laughed. "I suppose it is." Kylo looked at them, hesitating, running a hand through his dark hair.

"What is it, Master Ren?" she asked. "I assure you, I don't bite, and neither does Peter. At least not often"

"Doctor Galen, I was wondering if I could talk with you privately."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Lia." cautioned the Inspector.

"I assure you, Inspector Falkus, I won't bite," said Kylo snarkily.

"I'll be fine Peter," she said firmly.

"A half-hour, Lia." the Inspector said firmly. "After that, I'll come looking for you."

"If I'm going to be more than a half-hour I'll comm you, Peter." Aurelia retorted.

She turned to Kylo. "After you, Master Ren."

Kylo offered his arm to the doctor. "May I?"

She smiled. "Someone taught you manners." She placed her hand on his arm and they walked off into the deepening dark.

They proceeded slowly toward the tree line, moving carefully to avoid tripping hazards.

After walking silently for a few minutes Kylo said, " Dr. Galen?"

"Yes, Master Ren?"

"When you looked at my thoughts - what did you see?"

"Only what you showed me, Master Ren. I didn't look for nor did I see anything else. Your young lady was an excellent chaperone."

He smiled without any real humor. "Rey is very protective."

"If I recall correctly an ancient poet once said 'The female of the species is more deadly than the male.' " commented Aurelia.

"I can believe that," agreed Kylo. "Some of my Knights of Ren were female. What they lacked in bulk they made up for with sheer viciousness."

"Were female, Master Ren? Did they leave the order?"

"In a manner of speaking. One deserted, one was killed by Supreme Leader Snoke, and one died with the rest of the Knights at Exegol. The order is no more."

Aurelia could sense that Kylo didn't want to speak further on the Knights so she cast around for another subject.

"Master Ren, if I may," she ventured, "you were reported dead after the destruction of the Jedi Academy. How did Ben Solo, Jedi Knight, become Kylo Ren, Sith acolyte?"

"Not Sith, Dr. Galen," growled Kylo. I wasn't that far into the Dark."

"I beg your pardon, Master Ren. Still, the question remains."

Kylo let out a sigh as he steered their path away from the woods. "It's a long, complicated story, Dr. Galen. The bare-bones are these. Supreme Leader Snoke, who may have been a Sith, was speaking to me in my mind since I was a small child. He attempted to alienate me from my family with lies, half-truths and blatant misdirection. This was all to cultivate and increase my Darkness in the Force. Eventually, an incident at the Academy pushed me over the edge. The Academy was destroyed and I fled to Snoke and the First Order."

They walked along quietly for a while as they circled back toward her shuttle. Finally, Aurelia broke the silence.

"The Force lightning I saw in your memories. Did Supreme Leader Snoke use that on you very often?"

"Often enough," replied Kylo."He had several inventive ways to punish me and the other Knights. Some of them involved the Force, and others were physical punishments delivered by his Praetorian Guard. And then sometimes he would require Knight to battle Knight, usually to the death."

"Did you ever try to leave?" Aurelia asked.

"Not really," he replied. "I didn't think I had anywhere else to go. Not after - what happened. In any case, if I had run Snoke would have found me. Worse, he could punish me no matter how far I went. He was still in my head, you see." Kylo shrugged. "Also, several of the Knights had followed me from the Jedi Academy. As long as they were still there I couldn't abandon them."

They were close enough to the shuttle that they could see the Inspector Falkus leaning against the vessel's entrance, the tip of his cigarra glowing faintly red as he lifted it to his mouth and inhaled the fragrant smoke.

Kylo stopped them just short of the shuttle, close enough that the Inspector could see that Aurelia was okay but far enough away that he couldn't hear the rest of their conversation. Kylo dropped his arm and turned to the doctor.

"Dr. Galen," he said quietly, "What do you think? Am I responsible for all those Hosnian lives?"

She thought a few minutes. "It's not cut and dried, Master Ren. On the one hand, you assisted in building the weapon. On the other hand, you made several attempts to change Supreme Leader Snoke's mind on targeting options. Whether you will be charged and put on trial is anyone's guess."

"What you're not saying is it will depend on whether charges and a trial would be to someone's political advantage," responded Kylo.

"Your Leia Organa's son, Master Ren. I'm quite positive you understand the political atmosphere fairly well."

Aurelia looked up at Kylo and gave him a puckish smile. "By the way, full marks for your attempt to get past my mental shields. Better luck next time."

Kylo smiled at her. "I've never seen that construction before. No offense intended, Dr. Galen."

"None taken," she replied, "Good night, Master Ren.

"Have a pleasant evening, Dr. Galen." he returned.

* * *

Author's notes: So Inspector Falkus has a report to make to the United New Republic Senate. What will happen next is anyone's guess.

A housekeeping note: I've got a virtual event coming up for which I am a coordinator. I may have to skip a week on the next chapter update.


	47. Chapter 47: Get Along on Down the Road

_**Get along, on down the road**_

_**We've got a long long way to go**_

_**Scared to live, scared to die**_

_**We ain't perfect but we try **_

\- _Get Along_ By Kenny Chesney

As Kylo turned away from the Doctor and the Inspector he felt … something. An overall unsettled sensation in the Force, a sensation he has felt in the past when in battle or when danger was near. Something was off in the dark and toward the left of the parked vessels. As he turned that direction he saw the flash of a blaster discharge.

"Get down!" he yelled as he flung out his right arm, grabbed the blaster bolt with the Force, and held it motionless a foot away from his hand. The Inspector pulled his blaster from its holster and prepared to return fire, while Aurelia hit the ground.

Kylo stepped to the side and let the bolt fly harmlessly past him. He pulled his lightsaber from his belt and lit it, the amethyst blade bathing him with an eerie purple glow.

"I feel 5 sentients. Bounty hunters." Aurelia said. She lifted her head cautiously from the grass as more blaster bolts flew toward them. "They want you alive but if they can't the payout for dead is acceptable," she added.

Kylo batted the bolts away with his lightsaber, letting the Force and muscle memory direct his arm. Inspector Falkus returned fire, scorching the air with both blaster bolts and some rather virulent profanity.

_[[Kylo! What's happening? Are those blaster bolts?]]_

_{{Kind of busy here Rey.}}_

_[[Hang on, I'm coming!]]_

_{{No! Stay in the Ghost and start the departure protocols. We're leaving as soon as I can get back there.}}_

_[[Ok. Try not to get hurt, Kylo.]]_

"Solo!" yelled Inspector Falkus. "I'll cover you. Take the Doc with you."

Kylo looked over at the Inspector and then down at the doctor. "I'm not coming back to UNR space, Dr. Galen."

Aurelia got up into a crouch. "Just drop me on a civilized planet and I'll comm Peter to pick me up."

Kylo nodded."Deal. Head to my ship"

Aurelia sprang up and sprinted toward the Ghost with Kylo right behind, still deflecting the few blaster bolts that chased them down the field. As they came near the entry ramp a stray bolt caught Kylo in his left shoulder. He cried out in pain but did not slacken his pace. He and Aurelia ran up the ramp, and Kylo slapped the control panel to close it. "Grab a seat and strap in," he yelled to her. He continued rapidly to the cockpit and threw himself into the copilot seat.

"Let's get this bird in the air," he said to Rey as their hands danced over the control boards.

"Where are we going?" asked Rey as the Ghost lifted into the night sky.

"Out of UNR territory," replied Kylo.

"Find something quick, we've got bogeys on our tail."

"Give me a minute." he pulled up a map on the console.

"They're shooting at us Kylo!" yelled Rey as the Ghost came out of a barrel roll and shot up through the atmosphere.

"How about Kijimi?" he asked. "It's the last place bounty hunters would look for us."

"Except it was destroyed by the Sith Eternal Final Order fleet a ways back," replied Rey.

"Damn. Let me look again. How about Onderon?"

"It joined the United New Republic recently."

"Ord Mantell?"

"It's a dump but It'll do Kylo. Hang on, I've to shake these bogeys." As Rey took evasive maneuvers as the Ghost cleared Takodana's atmosphere. Kylo braced himself with one hand and typed in coordinates with the other.

"Coordinates set! Punch it, Rey!"

"Entering hyperspace in 5-4-3-2-1-now!"

The Ghost jumped slightly as the soothing blue lines of stars passing in hyperspace filled the windscreen. Rey sighed in relief and collapsed back into the pilot seat.

She looked over at Kylo."Mind telling me what the hell just happened? And why we picked up a passenger?"

"We were jumped by bounty hunters," he replied shortly. "I had just walked Dr. Galen back to her shuttle when some idiots started shooting at us. Inspector Falkus was outside the shuttle, pulled out his blaster, and returned fire." They both looked over toward Aurelia as she appeared in the door of the cockpit. "He yelled for me to get the doctor out of there so she ran back to the Ghost with me."

"Why didn't you run to your own shuttle?" Rey asked her skeptically.

"Because the bounty hunters weren't concerned about collateral damage," replied Aurelia. "My shuttle was right in the middle of the shoot out. I felt safer running down to your ship." She turned to Kylo. "You might want me to look at your shoulder, Master Ren."

Rey snapped her head back and stared at Kylo. "I thought I told you to not get hurt," she growled.

"Give me a break, Rey," he countered defensively. "There were a lot of blaster bolts heading my direction. And we were running. I'm lucky only one got through."

"Less talking, more first aid." declared Aurelia. "Miss Skywalker, if you have a med-pack on board I'll fix Master Ren's injury."

"Just call me Rey, Doctor Galen."

"And if I have to take my shirt off you may as well call me Kylo," he smirked.

Aurelia made a tsk sound and rolled her eyes. She and Rey shared a look that said volumes about male behavior. They shooed him back to sit at the table in the lounge area, and while he was removing his shirt Rey found the med-pack. "Could you point me toward the fresher, Rey?" asked Aurelia. "I need to give my hands a thorough scrub before I work on Kylo's wound."

"I'll take you, doctor," Rey said, walking her across the deck.

"Call me Aurelia, dear," replied the doctor.

Back at the table, Aurelia was impressed with Kylo's well-sculpted physique, but she was professionally fascinated with the myriad of scars and healed wounds that crisscrossed his chest and back. She made a mental note to ask about them later and examined his blaster wounded shoulder. The skin was red and blistering but it appeared that the damage was minimal. She washed it carefully, applied a generous coating of bacta, and wrapped it lightly with gauze.

"You were lucky Kylo," she said as she finished up. "Give it a day or two and it should be fine."

"I might let him live it down in a day or two," Rey retorted.

"Kylo, might I ask how you acquired so many scars?" interjected Aurelia. "It's mainly professional curiosity. Are they mostly from Force lightning?"

"No, Snoke reserved that for what he considered egregious offenses." He held up his arms, which were covered with faded, jagged shaped scars. "I'm not sure why he mostly hit my arms with it. The ones on my back are mostly from whippings. He had the Praetorian Guard administer those. Then there are the ones that don't show, where he used the Force to make me feel incredible pain."

Aurelia was almost morbidly interested. There were just so many scars. "What about the large one in your side? and the scar on your face?" Rey stiffened and looked guilty. "Those had nothing to do with Snoke," he answered shortly.

Aurelia could tell she was venturing onto touchy territory, so she veered away. "Kylo, why would Supreme Leader Snoke punish you so often and so severely? I'm not sure I understand."

"Training," he bit out. "At least, that's what Snoke called it. A Dark Force user can use pain to fuel his access to power. Negative emotions, such as anger and hate, can also be used as fuel."

Aurelia looked over at Rey, who shook her head slightly.

"Perhaps we can talk more about this topic later, Kylo," she ventured.

Kylo stood up, carefully pulled his shirt on, and moved away from the table. "Perhaps, Doctor Galen."

"Please call me Aurelia."

"Aurelia." the corner of his mouth quirked up in an almost smile. "We are headed for Ord Mantell. We're skirting around UNR space. It will take us 3 standard days to get there."

"So you're dropping me off at a wretched hive of scum and villainy?" asked Aurelia.

"It's not that bad," protested Rey.

"Yes it is," retorted Aurelia, "It's a glorified junkyard and a refuge for smugglers, mercenaries, and bounty hunters."

"We aren't just dumping you on Ord Mandell," explained Kylo wearily. "We'll be dropping out of hyperspace in about 10 hours to pick up the Burke's Trailing hyperspace trade route. You can comm the Inspector while we are in normal space and arrange for transport back to Coruscant. We'll stay on Ord Mandell until you are on your way home."

"We all need to get some rest." declared Rey. "Aurelia, I'll show you where you can sleep. Kylo, go to bed. The auto-pilot is set."

Kylo gave Rey a crooked smile. "Fine. Don't make me wait, sweetheart."

Rey gave him a gentle shove. "Scoot. Come along, Aurelia."

As Aurelia settled in the bed in the passenger cabin she mentally reviewed what she had learned so far about Kylo Ren. She could learn a lot more in three days, particularly from unguarded thoughts floating in the aether.

She relaxed, reached for the Force, and scanned the aether. Then pulled herself back. Yep, some thoughts should definitely be allowed some privacy.

* * *

Author's Note: You *did* catch the Episode 4 reference, didn't you?

I'm very happy I managed to squeeze in this chapter between everything else I had to do. Enjoy!


	48. Chapter 48: Storm Warning

"That's correct, Peter. We're heading for Ord Mantell."

They had dropped out of hyperspace an hour ago. Kylo set up a holonet connection to Inspector Falkus and had retired to the cargo hold for lightsaber training with Rey. After admonishing her not to touch the controls, which of course Aurelia took exception to.

Inspector Falkus frowned thoughtfully. At least, his hologram tried to frown thoughtfully. The connection was poor and the image kept breaking up, distorting the frown into something faintly evil looking.

"Isn't Ord Mantell known as the armpit of the galaxy?" he commented.

"No, that's Mos Eisley on Tatooine. This is more of a wretched hive of scum and villainy."

"Well I don't like this, Lia." he grossed.

"Might I remind you that it doesn't matter if you like this or not?" said Aurelia crisply. "Just because I don't whizz rocks, cutlery, or speeders through the air with the Force doesn't mean I can't take care of myself."

"I know, I know Lia!" the Inspector said, putting his hands up defensively. "It's just … well … I've got a bad feeling about this."

"It'll be fine, Peter," said Aurelia soothingly. "Besides, this is a wonderful opportunity to observe the Dynamic Duo. I should have a thorough workup on Kylo Ren by the time I get back to Coruscant.

"Dynamic Duo, huh? Catchy. I like it," chuckled the Inspector.

"It does fit them, doesn't it? Is there anything else you need to tell me?" asked Aurelia.

"I've got an update on the attack last night. Maz was furious and banned the bounty hunters involved from her castle for life. They should have waited until Ren left Takodana. Neutral ground and all that. She said that if they ever showed their faces again at her place she would personally shoot them in said faces."

"She's one tough whatever her species is." smiled Aurelia. "What else?"

"Most of them took off after you three but I was able to stun one and keep him on the ground. He had a legitimate contract so I had to let him go. He wouldn't divulge the name of his employer but he did get a bit chatty on other stuff."

"Anything I need to know? Or pass along to the kids?"

"Yes, actually. You all need to know about this. They were carrying a supply of a drug called Neurostrin. It's an injectable force suppressant. It's fairly new. Supposedly it keeps a Force user from even sensing the Force until it wears off."

"That's … disturbing Peter. Do you have any more information? Manufacturer perhaps? Duration of suppression? Side effects? How these jokers managed to acquire the Neurostrin?"

"No, but I'm leaving Takodana for Coruscant in about an hour. I'll see what I can dig up and get back to you." said the Inspector.

"What's the delay?" Aurelia inquired.

"I could leave right now but I'd rather wait. There are quite a few wedding guests with nasty hangovers who are trying to fly out at the moment." laughed the Inspector.

"If you're going to Coruscant how am I getting home from Ord Mantell?"

"I asked Poe Dameron and his new husband to pick you up. I'll let him know you'll be on Ord Mantell. And I'll give him your comm number so he can contact you when they get there." The Inspector chuckled. "Dameron jumped at the chance to get out of the office for a while longer."

"Thank you, Peter," sighed Aurelia. "I'm so looking forward to enduring a second set of lovebirds cooing through hyperspace."

"See you in a few days, Doc." there was a grin in his voice as he signed off.

Two hours later Kylo, Rey, and Aurelia were sitting around the table in the lounge. Rey and Aurelia were drinking coffee while Kylo had poured himself some Corellian brandy. No one was in a hurry to enter Burke's Trailing hyperspace route and start the last leg of the journey to Ord Mantell.

"I've heard of Force surpassing collars and manacles before but not a drug," said Rey.

"It's supposedly a newly developed drug," replied Aurelia.

"Snoke used both the collar and the manacles as part of his training regimen" interjected Kylo. "It's just as nasty as it sounds. It's like being blind and deaf. No, it's worse than that. It feels as if part of your mind is not functioning properly," he shuddered. "The first time I was collared was terrifying. My Force sensitivity had manifested when I was a toddler, so I didn't know what it was like to not be able to touch it. To lose something that was such an essential part of me my entire life …"

Kylo stopped, momentarily speechless. Rey reached over and took his hand between her own, projecting comfort and calm.

"What do we know about this drug?" she asked, turning toward Aurelia.

"Not a lot," Aurelia replied. "Peter was heading back to Coruscant from Takodana and is going to do a little digging. As soon as he knows something solid he'll contact me." She smiled. "Having the top investigator in the UNR on your side is handy."

"Really? _Is_ he on our side? Are _you_ on our side?" asked Kylo.

"Peter is on my side. And in this situation I _am_ on your side," replied Aurelia. "This sort of drug is a danger to anyone who is a Force-sensitive. It could easily be used as a stealth attack. Out in public, in a crowd, in a store - it would just take someone brushing up next to you with a hidden syringe to mute your connection to the Force."

Rey shivered. "I feel so exposed. Why would anyone need a drug to suppress Force-sensitives?"

Kylo put his arm around Rey's shoulders. "Anyone who is afraid of power they don't control."

Aurelia nodded. "Most people aren't Force-sensitives. They don't understand how the Force works. Mostly they don't think about it, but the ones who do tend to fear it and Force users." She looked at Kylo. "No insult intended, but when they think about it at all they visualize is someone terrifying like Kylo Ren. Sometimes they think of Luke Skywalker, but he's regarded more of a myth than a real person."

"Do people still talk about The Last Jedi?" asked Rey.

"Not so much," answered Aurelia. "You've been keeping a fairly low profile for the past two years. When the galaxy was still involved in the First Order/Resistance kerfuffle The Last Jedi was all over the holonet. You were the New Hope, the return of the Jedi Order and defender of the New Republic."

"That was me," Rey said with a trace of bitterness. "A mascot for the Resistance. I was supposed to be the 'beacon of hope' for potential recruits. The poor little desert girl who was suddenly gifted with incredible powers. The Jedi girl, even though I had barely any training."

She leaned against Kylo. "And let's not forget the Girl Who Would Save the Galaxy from The Evil Kylo Ren."

Kylo looked at Rey for a minute or two. Aurelia could swear they were having a conversation of some sort even though they weren't talking out loud. He sighed, kissed her on the top of her head, and looked over to Aurelia.

"In my defense," he said dryly, "I had Snoke yapping in my head almost constantly. Honestly, I was probably more angsty than evil."

"Perhaps we should talk about that at a later date." murmured Aurelia.

"Why?" asked Kylo. "Why should I trust a UNR official?"

"Probably because I'm not a UNR official," responded Aurelia. "I'm a psychiatrist as well as a Force-sensitive. If you want my help I am more than qualified to give it."

She stood up. "Now if you don't mind I'm going back to my passenger cabin and spend some time meditating."

They watched as the doctor walked out of the lounge and back toward the cabins.

Rey looked at Kylo. "You may want to think about her offer."

"Maybe," he said thoughtfully. He finished his brandy. "Lets set the coordinates to Ord Mantell and get back on course."

* * *

Author Notes: So yeah, this has the potential to turn into a real shit storm. Force suppressing drug - I regret nothing! Bwahahahah!

Dynamic Duo - I just thought that it was cute and fitting. Kylo and Rey are not Batman and Robin.

Things are going to get interesting when they reach Ord Mantell.


	49. Chapter 49: Schrödinger's Force User

The Ghost has just dropped out of hyperspace near Ord Mantell when Aurelia's comm unit began to buzz. She had been meditating on the information she had gathered from Kylo, and while she was looking forward to hearing from the Inspector she didn't appreciate the raucous noise jerking her out of her thoughts.

"Yes Peter?" she snapped, the irritation evident in her voice.

"Hi, Lia. Did I wake you?"

"No, but you pulled me out of a meditation session," she replied. "What's up?"

"I've got Gracie working on digging up information on that Force surpassing drug. She thinks she will have a report for me by this afternoon."

"Is she still threatening to retire and write detective novels?"

"Yeah, but I think I've got a couple of years before she gets serious about it."

Aurelia laughed. "Well, she's certainly in a good place to do research. When you get the report set up a holo call to the ship. It's something the kids should know about also. Anything else?"

"Uh, well, yes …" the Inspector trailed off uncertainly.

"What is it Peter?" asked Aurelia.

"This is going to sound crazy, but …"

"What_ is_ it Peter?" she said impatiently.

"Ok. I questioned the Skywalker girl two separate times and both times she told me Kylo Ren died beside her during the fighting at Exegol when the Final Order showed up. I know I'm not Force-sensitive but it felt like she was telling the truth. At least what she believed was true. Could you dig into that?"

"I should be able to talk to them about that," replied Aurelia. "It sounds wild, though. Are you sure you heard her correctly, Peter?"

"Lia, I am neither deaf nor am I senile. She was either lying or the galaxy is seriously stranger than we ever thought." retorted the Inspector.

"I'll let you know what I think after I talk to them."

An hour later Aurelia was sitting in the lounge area drinking coffee with Rey and Kylo.

"Let me see if I understand this correctly," said Aurelia cautiously. "You say that Rey died fighting the supposed Emperor clone on Exegol."

"Yes," offered Kylo.

"And when you climbed up the sheer drop the Emperor had thrown you down you went to her body and used your life essence to restore her before she was totally subsumed into the Force."

"Correct," he affirmed

"And you were able to do this because you are connected with a Force bond."

"Yes," he responded

"And in the process, you died and your body was subsumed into the Force, until Rey managed to pull your soul back, complete with body, 8 months later,"

"Yes, Dr. Galen!" said Kylo impatiently.

"Well," Rey interjected, "You may have been held Between Worlds in stasis by the Force. We were never really clear on that after I pulled you back."

"That's impossible," Aurelia said flatly. "Force bonds don't work that way."

"You might want to tell that to the Force," remarked Rey.

"It violates the basic physical laws of the universe."

Kylo lifted the doctor's cup off the table and flew it around the room before setting it down on the table in front of him.

"That violates the physical laws of the universe too," he smirked.

"Point taken," said Aurelia. She flicked a finger and floated the cup into her hand. "Though moving a coffee cup and resurrection are a bit different."

"It's all facilitated by the Force," interjected Rey, "And the Force is the Force, of course."

"Of course," agreed Aurelia. "Kylo, Rey, may I observe your memories of the events? I do apologize for intruding on your thoughts." she added sympathetically, "But since Rey told Inspector Falkus several times that Kylo had died it would help if you can provide him some clarity."

Kylo and Rey looked at each other. Kylo frowned. Rey shrugged. Kylo sighed. Rey patted his hand and said, "It'll be ok love."

Kylo looked back at Aurelia. "I want you to understand that you can look at our memories of the battle at Exegol and my retrieval on Ahch-To and only those memories. It won't go well for you if I catch you searching for anything else."

"You're getting melodramatic, love, "said Rey with a fond smile. "I'm sure the doctor understands the restrictions." She put her hand out to Aurelia. "I'll go first."

Aurelia took Rey's hand. They both closed their eyes as she focused on the images flashing through the upper level of Rey's mind. She received images of _a cave, a decaying body on a life support system, pain, pain, Kylo being blasted away, two crossed lightsabers, incredible energies, falling, fading, life, Kylo, a smile, a kiss, Kylo falling, dead, gone, sorrow, heartache. _

Aurelia took a sharp breath and pulled her hand away from Rey's.

"I think that's all I need, dear." she breathed, eyes watering and blinking. Kylo had taken Rey into his arms while she shivered. He glared at Aurelia as he stroked Rey's back.

"What did you do to her, Dr. Galen?" he growled. Rey caught her breath and looked up at Kylo.

"It's ok, Kylo. They were just hard memories to relive." she acknowledged.

"I'm ready to review your memories, Master Ren." Aurelia extended her hand to him. Rey pushed away from Kylo and wrapped her arms around her torso. He looked skeptically at the doctor but stretched out his arm and enclosed her hand in his larger one.

As she closed her eyes images from Kylo's mind flashed through hers. _The cave again, the decaying body. Pain, pain, a blast of energy, flying, falling, hitting a ledge, painful climb, Rey unmoving, sorrow, heartache, life, Rey's eyes, joy, a kiss, falling, fading, gone, the Force, stillness, rest, pain, pulling, pain, pain, pain, tearing, falling, breathing, Rey. _

Again, Aurelia took a sharp breath and pulled her hand away from Kylo's. This time she leaned her elbows on the table, forehead on her clasped hands, trying to control her breathing.

"Are you alright, Dr. Galen?" asked Rey.

"Yes. That was just a bit emotionally draining," she answered. She looked at Kylo and Rey. "Thank you. I know this was very stressful to relive."

"Damn right," responded Kylo. "I need something stronger than coffee." He went into the galley and poured himself a shot of Corellian brandy.

"If you don't mind, Kylo, I could use something stronger than coffee also." Aurelia was pale and still a bit shaky. He nodded, poured a second glass, and brought it over to her. She took a sip and sat for a moment with her eyes closed. When she opened them she had her professional face firmly in place.

"Well, you two certainly believe your story …"

"Story!" exclaimed Rey indignantly," It's not a story! I died. Kylo brought me back. He died. I brought him back. It happened."

"Your memories seem to be unaltered," replied Aurelia calmly, "And I can detect no falsehood in the memories you presented to me. From everything I saw the report that Kylo Ren died at Exegol is accurate and true." She stopped and chewed her lip thoughtfully.

"I just don't understand the business about using a Force bond. According to the admittedly sparse records available, Force bonds are rather limited in intent and scope. Certainly nothing like what your memories show."

"What about a dyad bond?" asked Kylo. "Do you know anything about them?"

Aurelia took another sip of brandy and thought about it. "I've seen the term mentioned in the available literature but there was not any real information included. There was a suggestion that the Force-sensitives Bastila and Revan may have shared a dyad bond centuries ago but nothing specific." She cocked her head to the side and studied his face. "Are you suggesting you two have a dyad bond?"

Kylo picked up his brandy and took a generous sip. "Got it in one, Aurelia."

He continued, "A dyad bond connects the minds and souls of two Force-sensitive sapient beings across space and time. The bonded pair can communicate across the galaxy - distance is no barrier." He grimaced. "If we aren't careful to maintain our boundaries we can practically live in each other's heads."

Rey added, "From what we understand it needs both the Light and the Dark side to be created. I suppose that's because the bond allows us to support and augment each other's powers.

"And the longer it exists the stronger the bond becomes," said Kylo. "We literally share the same soul."

"And we literally need each other to survive." declared Rey as she put her hand over Kylo's.

"Ours was created when I was still in the First Order. I was operating as Snoke's enforcer and at the time I was attempting to get some critical information from Rey's mind" explained Kylo.

"He used the Force to rudely push his way into my mind and I pushed him out so hard I fell into his mind for a hot minute," smirked Rey.

"I wasn't rude." Kylo protested mildly.

She bopped him on the arm. "Yes, you were. You were reading my mind and repeating all my personal thoughts out loud."

"We were the only two people in the room. Besides you did it too." protested Kylo.

"Whatever," replied Rey. "Anyway, the result was my Awakening in the Force and our dyad bond forming. We didn't even know we were bonded at first."

"True. And the Force kept connecting us over light-years at the worst times. She really didn't need to see me shirtless in the fresher." smirked Kylo,

"No, I didn't." declared Rey, although Kylo could hear her thinking _Yum!_

"In any case, while we aren't necessarily keeping the bond secret we don't talk about it to other people," said Kylo. "No one else needs to know."

"That's wise," said Aurelia soberly. "I'm a strong mid-level Force-sensitive and it's a hard concept for me to wrap my mind around. The vast majority of the galaxy, those who are not Force-sensitive would not understand or accept the idea of a dyad bond."

She stood up. "If you two would excuse me I need to meditate on the memories you showed me and on the concept of a dyad bond. Inspector Falkus should be contacting us later today with an update on his research of the Force surpassing drug. Rey, could you get me when his holo call comes through?"

"Of course Aurelia," replied Rey.

With that Aurelia walked back to her cabin, with way too many thoughts to process.

* * *

Author's Notes: Way back in Chapters 13 (Just One More Thing) and 23 (Suspicious Minds) Rey tells Inspector Falkus that Kylo died in the battle at Exegol. In Chapter 45 (Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys) the Inspector finds out that Kylo is undeniably alive. Either Rey was lying or the galaxy is much stranger than he thinks.


	50. Chapter 50: Dangerous Intersection

If it weren't for the sprawling junkyards Ord Mantell would be a beautiful planet. It was a pretty pink color when viewed from space, which was due to the thick clouds that filled the atmosphere over most of the globe.

Conditions on Ord Mantell were ideal for human immigrants. Temperatures were in the temperate range, gravity was was approximately .9 standard measure, and terrain varied between mountains, mesas, open plains, jungles, and several oceans. The majority of the population lived in coastal cities, with Worlport, the capital being the most populous,

A vibrant, thriving industrial world during the time of the Old Republic and during the early years of the Galactic Empire, Ord Mantell had suffered under criminal gangs and totally incompetent governmental oversight. Besides the junkyards, Worlport, the aforementioned capital is known for it's gambling casinos, pleasure houses, and its premier position as the galaxy's most unregulated shadowport. (Freeport and Mos Eisley have attempted to unseat Worlport repeatedly but as of yet have not been able to best it in lawlessness per capita). Worlport did not necessarily lay out the welcome mat to smugglers, ship thieves, and other scum of the galaxy, but it was well known in the right circles that it was there.

Ord Mantell was probably not ready for the convergence of people the Force was spinning in its direction.

The Do Drop Inn was the type of cantina that catered to the previously mentioned scum of the galaxy. It was located in the Herglic's Folly gambling district and boasted a bar, food service, gambling, and an upstairs pleasure house. Currently, the bar had a scattering of customers, so the tall, blonde-haired woman and the slender redheaded man sitting at a back table were left undisturbed after their drinks were served.

"Armi," said the woman, "how long are we going to hang out at this dump?"

"Brienne, I've told you before not to use that diminutive." The red-haired man drank some of his beer and frowned. "Gaah, this tastes like horse piss."

Brienne tried again. "Armitage, why are we sitting here drinking horse piss?"

"I'm waiting for some information."

"A new job?"

"Maybe."

"I hope it's fieldwork. I hate garrison duty."

"It's not a merc job," replied Hux. "It's related to the other thing."

"Other thing?" responded Phasma. "You mean your revenge on General Pryde and the rest of the First Order High Command?"

"You make it sound like a bad holodrama," complained Hux. He lifted his mug to his lips, contemplated the liquid therein, and decided that not even dehydration could persuade him to drink more horse piss.

There was a gentle clearing of a throat near their table. Hux looked over and saw a short, thin, weaselly looking man standing in front of them. As opposed to dressing for success this individual appeared to be dressed to blend in and quietly disappear. His sharp features, bushy mustache, and bulbous brown eyes threatened to make him stand out were in not for his demeanor, which instead combined to make him part of the mental furniture.

"I hear you're looking for information." ventured the weasel.

"Maybe. What do you have for me?"

"Ben Solo's location. Or at least where he's going to be really soon. You interested?"

"I could be," answered Hux. "If I know the source is good."

"My boss Bala-Tik got it from his snitch at Maz's place. A bunch of ex-Resistance types was partying there and one of the flyboys said he was meeting up with Solo and his girlfriend for some sort of pickup. For 200 standard credits, the location is yours."

"That's a bit steep." Phasma snapped.

"Take it or leave it," the weasel shrugged.

"Fine," growled Hux. He shoved the credits across the table toward the weasel. The weasel in turn picked up the credits, left a folded flimsy on the table, and hurried away.

Hux picked up the flimsy, unfolded it, read it, and smiled. He stood up. "Come on Brienne."

"Where are we going?" she asked as she stood up.

"We're going to visit a Comraich pub in the Path of Coins entertainment district."

"At least the beer will be better than this drek."

Several lightyears away from Hux and Phasma, Poe and Finn Dameron were preparing their YT-1760 Small Transport shuttle to exit the Burke's Trailing hyperspace route at its terminus near Ord Mantell.

"Poe?" asked Finn.

"Yes, sweetie?" answered Poe.

"Could you explain to me what we are doing again?"

"Sure," said Poe, as he leaned over to steal a kiss. "My boss, Inspector Falkus, is giving me an extra week of paid time off to go and fetch his work colleague, Dr. Galen, from Ord Mantell."

"Was that the work colleague he brought to our wedding?"

"Yes. And no, she's not his girlfriend. He made a point of telling me that."

"Oh. Ok." Finn looked confused. "Why did he bring her to the wedding?"

"He said his wife and kids were visiting family and he didn't like traveling in hyperspace by himself."

"Oh." That still sounded squirrelly to Finn but whatever. He's not one to judge.

"Poe?"

"Yes, love?"

"If the wedding was on Takodana why is his work colleague on Ord Mantell?"

"I'm not really sure. My boss said something about Rey and her cousin taking her along with them when they left in a hurry. It's all a bit confusing."

"Well, it lets us have a longer honeymoon."

"It does indeed, love," responded Poe.

"So where are we supposed to meet her?" asked Finn.

"We're supposed to meet her at a Comraich pub in the Path of Coins entertainment district in Worlport. It's called Àite Iarainn," replied Poe.

"I hear the casinos are excellent in Worlport. Think we'll be able to check a few out while we're there?"

"Maybe. We'll see if she's in a hurry to get back to Coruscant."

Completely unaware that the Force is playing silly buggers with them, Rey and Kylo have finished taking The Ghost out of hyperspace and have set a course to the Morro Spaceport in the city of Worlport on Ord Mantell.

Kylo leaned back in the co-pilot seat. "We've got some time. Maybe we can set the autopilot and take a break."

Rey looked at him over her shoulder. "Back in our quarters?"

"Umm-hmm."

Rey smiled and licked her lips. "Sounds good to me."

So of course, a loud, painful sound emits from the control panel signaling an incoming holo call.

Rey stood up and put her hand on Kylo's shoulder. "It's probably the Inspector. I'll go get Aurelia."

A few minutes later she returned with the doctor. Kylo firms up the signal and it eventually resolves into an image of Inspector Falkus.

"Master Ren, Master Skywalker, thank you for taking my holo call." He looked over at Aurelia. "Hiya Doc."

"What did you want, Inspector?" asked Kylo irritably. He had a healthy distrust for UNR officials, and as far as he was concerned the Inspector was still on his 'Do Not Trust' list, regardless of the doctor's reassurances.

"Touchy, Master Ren." responded the Inspector mildly.

"Hello Peter," said Aurelia. "I assume this is about the Force suppressing drug?"

"That, and where you are going to meet your ride back to Coruscant."

"Tell us about the Neurostrin first."

Inspector Falkus' holoimage looked down as if he were checking his notes.

"Ok, from what Gracie, my personal assistant was able to discover, Neurostrin is derived from a substance known as Melange. It -"

"I'm familiar with Melange Inspector," interrupted Kylo. "Rey and I moved a shipment a couple of months ago from Freeport to Coruscant for -"

"Praxis Pharmaceuticals," continued the Inspector smoothly. "It's located in the Abroganto Scientific Research Precinct. Yours wasn't the only shipment. Praxis has been receiving small shipments of Melange for the last 2 years."

"Was Gracie able to discover any of the particulars about Neurostrin? How it's administered, dosage, duration, side effects?" asked Aurelia.

"We were surprised at how much information was available on the drug. Gracie thought she was going to have to hack into the Praxis system. And you didn't officially hear that."

"The particulars, Peter?" said Aurelia patiently

"Right, right. Let me check my notes." He flipped through several pages on his datapad.

"Here we go. Neurostrin can be administered either as an intramuscular or Intravenous injection. While intravenous allows for the quickest absorption and suppression of Force connection, it can also be administered intramuscularly with a slower, but still effective suppression of Force connection."

He flipped through a few more pages and continued.

"A 5 cc dose injected intravenously into a human patient weighing between 54 kg and 72.5 kg should take effect within 5 minutes and have a duration of 5 hours. For human patients weighing from 73 kg to 91 kg increase dosage to 8 cc. Above 91 kg increase dose to 10 cc. In no case should dosage exceed 10 cc in an 8 hour period. For human patients below 54 kg decrease dose to 2 cc."

"How quickly do intramuscular take effect?" asked Rey. "If we are attacked by bounty hunters with Neurostrin injectors they probably will try to hit an arm or a leg,"

"Intramuscular injections normally take effect within 15 minutes." replied the Inspector.

"You haven't mentioned side effects, Peter," interjected Aurelia.

"Oh yeah, sorry Lia," he answered. "There wasn't a lot of information on that, but there was a note that nausea, headache, and muscle ache could occur."

Kylo frowned in thought. "Inspector, Melange is highly addictive and the withdrawal symptoms are nasty. What about Neurostrim?"

Inspector Falkus flipped through his notes again. "I don't see anything about addictive properties or withdrawal symptoms. I'll ask Gracie to do a deeper data search."

Nobody said "hack into the Praxis system" but it did float through all their minds.

"When she does that have her search for information on test subjects," advised Aurelia.

"Let me make a note on that." The Inspector scribbled something on his datapad. "I guess that's everything then."

"Not quite," said Kylo. "Who is coming to get the doctor and where are we supposed to meet them?"

"Right, sorry," responded the Inspector. "I'm sending Poe Dameron and his new husband, Finn. You remember them from the wedding, don't you Aurelia?"

"Yes, I do."

"They're supposed to meet you at Àite Iarainn. It's a Comraich pub in the Path of Coins entertainment district in Worlport."

"That sounds delightful Peter," approved Aurelia. "I haven't been to a Comraich pub in years."

"I'll let you all know if Gracie digs anything more up on the Neurostrim. See you in a few days, Lia." With that Inspector Falkus signed off the call.

* * *

Author's notes: So we finally get Hux and Phasma into the story. I've always thought Hux got a raw deal in the sequel trilogy. He was painfully one dimensional. And Phasma was never used effectively. Killing her off in the second movie was a waste.

I have some ideas about what will happen when these characters meet up at the pub. (evil grin)


	51. Chapter 51: Abbreviated Pub Crawl

Morro Spaceport, one of the busiest spaceports in the Bright Jewel sector (Mid Rim), was huge. Traffic wise, it was comparable to the larger ports in the Core, such as Coruscant. Your typical Joe or Jane Ord Mantellian had no idea whether the tourist trade or the illicit operators made up the bulk of the traffic through Morro Spaceport, though the government Office of Statistics put it at an even split.

"Wow, did you know there were over a hundred casinos in Worlport?" Finn exclaimed.

Their shuttle, the Galaxy Quest, had been in the queue awaiting landing and berthing instructions for about an hour. The pretty pink clouds were interesting for the first 30 minutes, but Poe and Finn were bored and ready to have some fun. It was their honeymoon, dammit.

"No I didn't Finn," answered Poe. "And if we don't get some landing info soon we won't have time to visit any of them."

The control board made a loud beep, signaling an incoming call. Poe flipped a switch.

"Shuttle Galaxy Quest, Captain Poe Dameron speaking." The speaker squawked and sputtered for a minute.

"Acknowledged Captain Dameron. Welcome to Worlport. Please do not deviate from your designated flight path. You have been assigned to Docking Bay 42, Terminal 4."

"Docking Bay 42, Terminal 4. Got it. Thanks, Morro Control. Galaxy Quest out." responded Poe.

"Alright!" exclaimed Finn. "Let's get down, find your boss's friend, and then hit a few casinos!" He thought for a moment. "Poe, do you remember seeing this Doctor Galen at the wedding?"

"Vaguely," replied Poe as he flipped switches on the control board.

"Do you remember what she looks like?" persisted Finn.

"Uhh, hmm, not really."

"Neither do I. So how do we find her? Worlport is a big place."

"She's supposed to be at that Comraich pub with Rey and Rey's cousin Ben," said Poe absently as he maneuvered the shuttle through Ord Mantell's atmosphere. Damn pink clouds. "It's called Àite Iarainn. We can get directions at the terminal after we land."

Finn brightens up. "So we find Rey and we find the doctor. Sounds easy enough."

"Finally!" exclaimed Rey as they walked across the tarmac toward the terminal in the waning afternoon sunlight. "It took them long enough to give us landing clearance."

"Yeah, well Morro spaceport is one of the busiest in the Mid Rim," replied Kylo. "Just remember we're parked at Docking Bay 42, Terminal 4."

"We're not walking all the way to Àite Iarainn," said Aurelia. "It's halfway across the Path of Coins."

"I don't mind walking," commented Rey. "I've been cooped up in the Ghost for way too long."

"I'm getting a little long of tooth for a 5 km walk. Have mercy," complained Aurelia.

"Okay," answered Rey, a bit reluctantly. She really wanted to walk and look at everything. "Do we rent a speeder or take a taxi?"

"Rent a speeder." declared Kylo firmly. "If we end up needing a getaway vehicle I don't want to have to search for one."

"I guess I'll get the rental," said Rey. "Unless you want to as Ben Solo."

"No. I told you that your friend's wedding was the last time I would use that name. Ben Solo is dead."

Aurelia chimed in, "Between the rumor about Kylo being Ben Solo and the official interview you had with Peter it's not really a disguise anymore."

Rey stopped and gave Kylo a quick peck on the cheek. "Whatever name you use, you're mine. Let's go find that pub."

There is no specifically marked boundary between the Herglic's Folly gambling district and the Path of Coins tourist and entertainment district, but to the discerning eye it was evident by the number of bright, gaudy neon signs loudly proclaiming the availability of casinos, upscale cantinas, and (ahem) houses of excellent repute (if you want a house of ill repute you need to look in Herglic's Folly).

"Armi," badgered Phasma.

"I told you not to call me that," replied Hux automatically.

"Armitage!" she growled.

"What now?" Hux barked.

"How much farther do we have to walk?" Phasma demanded. "We got to the Path of Coins nearly an hour ago."

"Not far," Hux replied dismissively. "About a klick and a half left to go."

"We should have taken a speeder." griped Phasma.

"We didn't have a speeder to take."

"We could have stolen one."

"I wasn't in the mood to be chased through Herglic's Folly. We're trying to keep a low profile."

"Well, all I can say is the beer better be worth the walk."

Àite Iarainn was a bit of an anomaly in the Path of Coins tourist and entertainment district. To begin with, the proprietor, Mhoirbheinn Dunaid ("Just call me Joe"), had banned neon signage from his establishment. Instead, the pub name was displayed on a modest hand-carved wooden sign with uplighting to make it readable at night.

Secondly, he did not have an attached casino or an associated house of excellent repute. Joe was of the opinion that good food, good booze, and good music were all he needed to run a profitable business. Since Àite Iarainn would celebrate its 30th anniversary in a couple of months it appears that Joe's hunch had paid off. While the pub had a respectable amount of tourist traffic, it was known to the locals and the Ord Mantell ex-pat Comraich community as the place to go for a quiet drink and good conversation without having to fight your way through a flock of holidaymakers to reach the bar.

It was late afternoon, which meant Àite Iarainn had just opened for business. A band was setting up on the small stage in the back corner of the main common room. There were various types of drums, guitars, a banjo, a fiddle, a pennywhistle, and something that looked suspiciously like a bagpipe. The oak bar which ran down the side of the room was polished to a high shine, complementing the wall of bottles that rose behind it. The tables and chairs scattered throughout the rest of the room were clean and neatly arranged to allow the servers easy access to the anticipated patrons.

Joe had just made a final check of the food and beverage stocks and had returned to his station behind the bar when the pub door opened to admit a tall, muscular, blond-haired woman and a tall slender dangerous looking red-haired man. "Welcome to Àite Iarainn," he called out to them as they took seats at the bar. He walked over to them and asked cheerfully "And what would you fine folks like to drink tonight?"

"What do you have on offer?" answered Hux shortly.

"I've got a variety of lagers, ales, stouts, whiskeys, and just about any other hard liquor you can think of."

Hux looked over at Phasma, who shrugged.

"Two house ales."

"Right away sir."

Phasma picked up the frothy drink placed in front of her and drank deeply. "You redeemed yourself, Armitage. Definitely not horse piss."

"I beg your pardon, miss?" asked Joe as he turned back to the duo.

Phasma held up a hand. "No insulted intended sir. My companion took me to a dive before we came here."

Joe nodded and went down the bar to attend to other customers. Hux turned casually on his barstool and surveyed the room. So far, no sign of Ren.

"So how good do you think that tip was?" asked Phasma as she drained her glass. "This is damn good stuff. I'll have another."

"I guess we'll find out. Bala-Tik's information has been good in the past."

Time past and the pub gradually began to fill. The band had finished their set up and had started their first set with some sort of song about beer for horses. Hux ordered another ale while Phasma decided to switch to lager for variation.

"At least Ren won't see us right away when he finally gets here," commented Phasma.

Hux just drank more ale. Yeah, the crowd would keep Ren from spotting them right off, which was good because Hux was pretty sure Ren would go from zero to violent when he spotted them. On the other hand, he didn't want to miss the man in the crowd. Hux scanned the room again.

Well, speak of the devil, and up he pops. Ren just walked in the door with two women. Two women? One of them is the scavenger girl, but who is the older woman? And why is the scavenger with Ren? The last Hux had heard they wanted to kill each other. Apparently not anymore because she's holding his hand.

He nudged Phasma. "Showtime "Brienne."

"Wait until they are seated, Armitage. Standing over a seated person is a position of power."

"I know that." he groused.

"So give it 10 minutes or so. Should I try the stout next?"

"Only if you like drinking burnt tar. It's an acquired taste."

"Yeah? Well, it's still not horse piss."

"Kylo, are you sure you want to leave the speeder parked a block away?" asked Rey.

"It'll be fine, Rey. I disguised it with the Force," responded Kylo.

"Really Kylo?" said Aurelia, who was walking a few paces ahead of them. "You put a Force illusion on an inanimate object?"

"Sort of. I did something I call "Don't Look" to it. If anyone looks at it their eyes slide off and they don't see it."

"Clever," nodded Aurelia. "Could you teach it to me?"

"Probably. But it takes a while to learn and we don't have enough time left."

"Pity. It would be useful." she stopped walking in front of a modest building with an uplit wooden sign. "We're here."

Kylo and Rey looked at the sign. It was large enough to be seen from the street but small enough not to be ostentatious. It proclaimed its name, Àite Iarainn, in beautifully lettered Standard Basic.

Kylo reached out and took Rey's hand. "This is the closest we been to a date night since you pulled me back from Between Worlds," he said with a grin.

Aurelia smiled. Ah, young love. "Let's go in kids."

They walked into a warm, pleasant, crowded, and above all noisy bar. The band had just finished singing about beer and horses and had segued into a raucous number about wine, beer, and whiskey. All three Force-sensitives reinforced their mental barriers.

"I'm not sure there's anywhere for us to sit," said Rey, raising her voice to be heard over the crowd.

Aurelia looked around, spotted Joe, and put two fingers in her mouth to whistle shrilly. Joe looked in her direction as she waved vigorously. He grinned and worked his way over to them.

"Aurelia Galen! It's been ages since you've graced my establishment," exclaimed Joe with a big smile.

"Mhoirbheinn Dunaid, you old scoundrel! How's your lovely wife Jeanne?" replied Aurelia.

"As well as can be." chuckled Joe. "She's off to Canto Bight at the moment. Doing research for one of the larger casinos."

"Mhoirbheinn, can you get us a table, beer, and food in that order? We need seating for 5 total."

"Just had a group clear out." He waved over one of the servers. "Maureen, be a love and take these fine folk back to table 10."

Maureen was a pretty young thing with auburn braids, bright green eyes, and a friendly smile. "Of course Da. Sir and madams if you could follow me." She led them back to a table on the other corner of the room from the band.

Once they were seated Aurelia ordered for the group.

"Maureen dear, start us off with a round of lager. Is the kitchen open tonight?"

"Yes ma'am," Maureen replied. "We have Rumbledethumps, Skirlie, Clapshot, Kedgeree, and of course the best hagese to be found on Ord Mantell."

"Bring us samples dishes, please. My friends have never tried Comraich cuisine."

Maureen leaves to place their food and drink order and Rey cranes her neck to look around the pub. "This place is incredible. It would be even better if it wasn't so noisy."

Aurelia nodded. "I used to come to Ord Mantell often on semester breaks when I was at University. I was an excellent sabacc player back in the day. And this place was a breath of home."

"Are you from Comraich Aurelia?" asked Kylo.

"I am. Peter is from Comraich, too. Same clan, different septs."

Rey looked at Aurelia with a look that said 'that explains a lot' on her face. Some movement at the pub door catches her eye and she sees Finn and Poe coming into the pub.

Finn and Poe stood out on the street and looked at the modest wooden sign. It was just past sundown and the lights on the sign gave it a cheery glow.

Finn squinted at the sign. "Is this the place?" he asked.

Poe squinted at the sign. "I think so. That fancy lettering makes it hard to read."

They both squinted at the sign some more and decided yes, this was in fact Àite Iarainn.

"So," said Finn, I guess we go in, find Rey, introduce ourselves to the doctor, and have a drink."

"Yeah," answered Poe. "Maybe after that, we can hit a few casinos. I'm a pretty good sabacc player."

"Oooh yeah! If you can win big that would be the best ending to our honeymoon." chortled Finn.

They went through the doorway into the crowded, noisy pub. Finn started scanning the crowd for a glimpse of Rey. "There she is!" he crowed as he nudged Poe. "I guess that's her cousin Ben." he added indicating the man sitting with her."

Poe's face went pale, and his eyes widened in fear. "Finn! That's Kylo Ren sitting with Rey!"

* * *

Author's Notes: So we have Kylo, Rey, Aurelia, Hux, Phasma, Finn, and Poe all together in a crowded pub. This bodes to be an explosive encounter.

Rumbledethumps, Skirlie, Clapshot, Kedgeree are all real dishes.

I know it's spelled 'haggis.' The spelling I used, 'hagese,' is a 15th-century spelling used in England for a similar dish.


	52. Chapter 52: Gimmie Three Steps

Finn looked over at the table and back at Poe. "Are you sure Poe? I thought he was dead."

"That's what Rey told us," answered Poe. "She said he had died and dissolved or something like that. I didn't pay much attention to anything after she said he was dead."

"He looks pretty damn alive to me Poe. Unless he's undead. What do you think? Is he a vampire or a zombie?"

"That's not funny Finn."

"I'm not trying to be funny. Ok, just a little. But either Rey lied to us or the Force is doing some really weird shit."

"I guess we need to go find out," said Poe firmly.

"And once we find out what do we do next?" asked Finn.

"I don't know. Kick ass and chew bubblegum I guess."

"We're not Resistance anymore, Poe."

"Then we'll ask nicely for a clarification, ok?"

"Look who just walked in!" beamed Rey as she raised her hand and waved frantically at the pair who had just come in the door. "Finn! Poe! over here!"

"Oh look," said Kylo cynically, "It's mother's little helpers."

"Kylo!" protested Rey. "Finn and Poe were important leaders in the Resistance."

"Yes, my mother's little helpers," repeated Kylo emphatically. He was still bitter about Leia Organa's role in the recent galactic conflict.

"They're also my friends. So behave. They won't be here long."

Kylo watched them walk toward the table. Yep, that's the sort of body language you see just before someone pulls out a blaster and says 'Do you feel lucky, punk?'

"I'll be civil if they will," he told her.

"Are they the Damerons?" asked Aurelia.

"I'm afraid so," replied Kylo.

"Why do they look like they are expecting a fight?"

"The Damerons and I harbor an intense mutual dislike. Particularly FN-2187," replied Kylo.

"His name is Finn!" declared Rey emphatically.

"Rey is waving to us," remarked Finn. "Are you ready to face Kylo Ren?" He glanced at Poe, concern in his eyes.

"No," replied Poe, " But I guess I have to."

The two men worked their way through the throng until they were standing at the table.

"Finn, Poe, hello!" beamed Rey.

Finn offered Rey a small smile. Poe just gaped at Kylo. "Rey told me you were dead!" he sputtered.

"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated," replied Kylo laconically.

Rey smacked him on the arm. "You were dead when I reported it to Poe. I didn't realize you were only mostly dead until later."

"Force whoo-whoo. I hate Force whoo-whoo," muttered Poe.

Aurelia immediately senses the tension building at the table and sticks her oar in.

"You must be Poe and Finn Dameron," she said as she stood and offered her hand. "I'm Dr. Aurelia Galen. I do so appreciate you helping me out. Please, take a seat." The last was laced with subtle Force persuasion.

Poe and Finn blinked in unison. They both sit. Poe smiled at her and said "Our pleasure ma'am. We were happy to assist when Inspector Falkus asked."

Kylo was impressed. That was a very subtle application of the Mind Trick.

Finn shook his head. He hadn't intended to sit but here he was with his butt in a chair instead of attacking Kylo Ren.

The band was singing about being a rebel and wanting to "smash shit up" as the crowd became even louder and rowdier.

"Huh, this is going to complicate things," said Hux

Phasma had just finished draining her latest glass of stout, set it on the bar, and signaled for a refill. "Who knew burnt tar would be so tasty?"

"Brienne?"

"Yes, Armi?"

"I've told you before not to call me that."

"Yes, Arm-i-tage?" she enunciated carefully.

He looked at her empty glass. "How much have you had to drink?"

She thought a minute. "Not too much?"

"Are you drunk Phasma?" asked Hux, annoyed.

She swayed slightly and retorted, "Of course not. This stuff couldn't make a baby drunk. I'm just really mellow."

"Well pull yourself together," commanded Hux. "Trouble just walked in the door."

"Who? Where?" she asked swiveling her head to survey the room. She spotted Poe and Finn working their way across the common room. Her eyes narrowed, she growled deep in her throat and launched herself across the crowded pub. "FN-2187. I'm gonna kill him!"

Finn was confused. A pretty auburn-haired girl had just dropped glasses of lager in front of him and Poe after telling the doctor that food would be up shortly. He was sitting next to Rey, who was sitting next to Kylo Ren. And she was holding Ren's hand! That alone would have left him gobsmacked.

"I don't understand any of this!" he protested loudly. "Rey, what are you doing sitting here with Kylo Ren? I thought you were traveling with your cousin. And why are you being so … friendly … with him? Did he mess up your mind with the Force?"

_{{Sweetheart, you need to calm him down before he makes a scene.}}_

_[[I'm not sure how much to tell them.]]_

_{{Maybe a dumbed-down version of how you got me back from Between the Worlds.}}_

_[[What about the Force Bond?]]_

_{{I really don't want that spread around. Would these two keep it quiet?}}_

_[[Maybe? Best not to tell them.]]_

_{{How do you propose telling FN-2187 about why we are so … friendly?}}_

_[[His name is Finn!]]_

_{{Alright, what are you going to tell Finn?]]_

_[[His head is going to explode, isn't it.]]_

_{{That sounds entertaining.}}_

_[[Kylo!]]_

_{{I'm sorry, but it does. You probably should play it down a bit.}}_

"Why are you staring at each other?" asked Finn.

"We were just thinking," answered Rey, trying to come up with a good way to explain the unexplainable. They don't need a blow by blow replay of what happened at Exegol.

Finally, she says "Let me sum up, ok? Kylo and I fought Emperor Palpatine and his Sith followers at Exegol while the Resistance and friends were fighting the Final Order. Kylo died and was subsumed into the Force. I brought him back from Between the Worlds 8 months later. We've been traveling together since then."

"In other words, Force whoo-whoo," interrupted Poe.

"Whatever flies your X-Wing," interjected Kylo.

"Hush, Kylo," said Rey.

Poe almost choked on his lager. Rey just told _Kylo Ren_ to shut up and he did without destroying anything.

Finn was still focused on relationship questions. "Tell me the truth, Rey. What's going on between you and Kylo Ren? I can't believe someone as sweet and good and innocent as you are would have anything to do with a monster like him."

Kylo noticed a feeling of calm settling over the table. It wasn't coming from him, and from what he felt from Rey over the bond it wasn't coming from her. He looked over at Aurelia. She was sitting with her elbows on the table. hands clasped, and chin resting on her laced fingers as she watched the interchange. Something else he wanted to talk to her about before she left with the Damerons.

Rey was chewing on her lower lip, which told him that she wasn't happy. Kylo kept quiet. He loved Rey and adored every centimeter of her petite body. But he knew when he was looking at trouble.

She finally made up her mind. "Finn," she replied quietly, "You have some sort of fantasy image of who and what I am. I'm not a poor, innocent, girl who needs to be sheltered and protected. I can and have taken care of myself. I don't need a protector. I appreciate that you want to be my knight in shining armor, but I don't need it."

She waited a moment, thinking about how to phrase what she wanted to say next. "Kylo risked his life for me at Exegol. We care for each other. We need each other. And we have each other's backs."

Finn bowed his head. "Do you love him?" he asked.

"Yes, I do," she replied.

He lifted his head. "I guess that's it then."

And it would have been it if a screaming, 191 centimeter, blond-haired Amazon hadn't come bounding across the common room, followed by a tall, red-haired man screaming "Phasma! come back here!"


	53. Chapter 53: Here Comes Trouble

Captain Phasma decked out in her shiny silver stormtrooper armor is enough to turn a normal person's bowels to water. Brienne Phasma bedecked in black leather, manic look on her face as she bounds across the pub screaming "You son of a bitch!" is a sight to evoke sheer primal terror in the hardiest of souls.

The sheer primal terror is only exacerbated when Finn realizes that she is being followed by a red-haired maniac, also wearing black leather, known by the sobriquet of 'Starkiller.'

"I'm dead, Poe! I'm kriffing dead!" moaned Finn.

Poe fumbled frantically with his blaster holster flap until Aurelia touched his arm and said "No weapons." with a generous pulse of Force persuasion.

Kylo stood up and watched as Phasma, screaming a Scyre clan war cry, vaulted over the last table between her and the hapless Finn. As she landed he darted over and wrapped his arms around her arms and upper body, holding her tightly.

She struggled in his hold and yelled "That bastard threw me down a garbage chute! Him and that damn smuggler and the kriffing walking carpet!"

"Finn?" asked Rey, a whole question contained in just his name.

"It was on Starkiller Base. We needed to get the shields down. Han held a blaster to her head to get her to punch in the code and Chewy and I threw her down a garbage chute."

"Finn!" snapped Rey, disapproval dripping from the single syllable.

"It was Han's idea! Besides, she's ok. She got out before the compactor cycled through."

Phasma struggled again in Kylo's grip. "I'M. GONNA. KILL. HIM!"

At this point, Hux had made it through the crowd and stopped next to Kylo. "I have a sedative if we need to calm her down."

"That won't be necessary, young man," said Aurelia as she walked around the table.

"Don't drop her," she instructed Kylo. As she touched Phasma gently on the forehead the former stormtrooper collapsed and hung limply in Kylo's arms.

"What did you do to her?" growled Hux, anger and confusion radiating off of him.

"She's taking a nice, relaxing nap," replied Aurelia. "It's a bit safer than using a sedative if she's been drinking alcohol."

"Drinking alcohol is a given with Phasma," commented Kylo as he lowered her into an empty chair. He leaned her forward onto their table and folded her arms under her head.

Hux pulled up a chair and sat down.

Poe and Finn looked at each other uncomfortably. Aurelia fixed the two with a hard stare and increased the Force persuasion that kept them in their seats. They were her ride home and she wasn't going to lose them.

"Why don't you join us?" said Kylo pointedly. Hux just gave him a side-eye and signaled Maureen for another ale.

"So what happened, Hux?" asked Kylo. "The Renewed First Order issued a statement indicating that you died at the battle of Exegol. "

"While you were off chasing the scavenger and assorted ghosts The Supreme Council decided I was a liability," said Hux bitterly.

"Did it have anything to do with the fact that you were spying for the Resistance?" asked Poe cheekily.

Hux glared at him and drank some ale.

"In any case, they shot me in the guts and threw me out with the trash. Phasma rescued me and got me to a medi-droid before I could bleed out." spat Hux.

"I thought she had died on the Supremacy after Holdo rammed it with the Raddus," said Finn.

Just then Phasma snored long and loudly. "Well, obviously not," he added.

"It never does to underestimate Brienne Phasma," said Kylo.

"Phasma has a first name?" asked Finn.

"Ok, that's enough Finn," Rey said firmly.

"I still despise you, Ren," said Hux haughtily. "Unfortunately, I have need of your talents."

"Neither of us would qualify for membership in a mutual admiration society," replied Kylo.

"Ah yes, the weapons-grade snark. Surprisingly, I've actually missed that," said Hux with a smile that would have done credit to a Great White shark. "It was a refreshing alternative to being choked or thrown against a wall with the Force."

"Either of which I could provide for old times sake."

[[Kylo! Knock it off!]]

{{We're just sparing Rey. It's mostly harmless.}}

[[Mostly?]]

{{Well, until he gets on my nerves and I Force throw him into a wall.}}

[[Just quit.]]

"Could we possibly continue this without these two idiots?" Hux grumbled, pointing at Poe and Finn.

"Well it could be that I'm the idiot who's gonna bring you and Ren to justice for the Hosnian Cataclysm Hugsy," sneered Poe.

"Really?" drawled Hux. "You're taking on the two most dangerous men in the galaxy by yourself?"

Poe looked at Rey and Finn. "Guys? A little help here."

Finn grimaced. "I want to help but I can't get out of this chair."

Rey shook her head. "Sorry Poe. I'm not going to help you arrest Kylo."

"Do you have an arrest warrant, Inspector Dameron?" interjected Aurelia. Everyone at the table turned and stared at her (except Phasma, who is still out and snoring).

Poe's face turned an interesting shade of red. "Umm, well, not yet, no. But everyone knows these two were responsible!" he glared at Kylo and Hux.

"I'm not part of law enforcement and even I know that 'everyone knows' is not the basis for making an arrest." retorted Aurelia. "I suggest you contact your superior, Senior Inspector Falkus for further direction."

"I can't just walk off and let them get away!" protested Poe.

At this point either the Force decided to meddle or the gods of narrative necessity are taking a spin on the wheel of fortune. Because Poe had barely finished his sentence when his comm unit started buzzing.

Poe's face took on an interesting blend of startled and puzzled as he punched the button to answer the call. "Dameron here. Oh, hey chief. Yes, we're on Ord Mantell. Yes, we found the pub. Yes, your friend Doctor Galen is here. Do you want to talk to her?"

He looked over at Aurelia and said "Inspector Falkus says that someone called Megan is having a fit and wants you back as soon as possible."

Poe turned his attention back to his comm, "Chief, while I have you on the horn I've got a possible situation here. Well, Kylo Ren and Armitage Hux are sitting across from me at the pub you sent us to. No, I'm serious! Ren and Hux! Do you want me to bring them in? Are you sure? No telling when we'll be this close again. No sir, I'm not an idiot. Yes. No. Ok, I understand sir. Dameron out."

Poe looked at his comm unit for a minute and then slowly put it into his pocket. He frowned and looked at Kylo and Hux.

"You two are lucky," he muttered. "My boss says the investigation of the Hosnian Cataclysm is still ongoing. Otherwise, I'd take you in,"

In your dreams, Dameron," snarked Kylo.

Rey leaned over to Kylo and murmured "I would appreciate it if you could be civil to my friends."

"Of course, love," he whispered. Kylo was smart enough to catch the subtext.

"Well, this has been entertaining," interjected Aurelia, "but I think I'm ready to return to Coruscant. I told Mhoirbheinn to bill me for our table." She looked at Poe and Finn. "Gentlemen, if you are ready?" As Aurelia stands she released the Force persuasion holding them in their chairs.

"What about Brienne?" asks Hux, gesturing at the still sleeping Phasma.

"She'll wake up naturally in about 20 minutes," answered Aurelia. She looked at Rey and Kylo.

"Thank you for an interesting and enlightening interlude," she told them. "I'm sure we will cross paths again soon."

Kylo lifted a quizzical eyebrow. "Is that a promise, a prediction, or a threat?"

Aurelia merely smiled gnomically and led Poe and Finn out the door and into the night.

"Who was that woman, Ren?" asked Hux.

"She's a medical doctor and a stronger force user than she lets on," replied Kylo. "Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine."

"Space wizards!" snorted Hux derisively.

"So what's going on Hux?" asked Kylo. "You're not dead and you're not with the Renewed First Order. You're dressed like some sort of actor in a porn holo but I know you're too uptight for interpersonal interactions. Are you a bounty hunter?"

"Bounty hunter?" sneered Hux, "Please, Ren, that's so plebeian. I'm a mercenary. With a select clientele, I might add."

Kylo drained his lager. "So who are you working for at the moment?"

"At this moment I'm between clients," he admitted.

"So, unemployed then?"

"I find that amusing coming from an unemployed smuggler, Ren."

"Not so much unemployed as on pause," interjected Rey. "It's complicated."

"Let's get back to you needing my talents," added Kylo.

Before Hux could answer Phasma snorted, opened her eyes, and lifted her head off her arms.

"Where did that little bastard go?" she growled.

"He left a while ago while you were asleep." answered Hux. "That's not important right now."

"I didn't drink enough to go to sleep," she grouched. "Did you tell Ren about the bounty hunters yet?"

"What bounty hunters?" demanded Kylo.

"Bala-Tik found out you and the scavenger were going to be here tonight. He's been selling that information to anyone who was interested," replied Phasma. "Hey Armi, can I get another glass of burnt tar?"

"Damn," muttered Kylo. "We need to get out of here, Rey."

Rey waved Maureen over. "Is there another way out of here?" she asked.

"There's a door at the back near the freshers ma'am."

"Kylo," said Rey, "let's blow this popsicle stand."

* * *

Author's notes: Aurelia's personal assistant, Megan, was introduced briefly in Chapter 30, The Game's Afoot.

"Let's blow this popsicle stand" was the title of Chapter 5. It's a variation of "let's blow this joint."


	54. Chapter 54: Take it Outside

Kylo scanned the common room from his seat at the table. The men three tables over were acting hinky, shifting in their seats, and glancing at Kylo when they thought he wasn't looking. And over at the bar - three scruffy-looking nerf herders who were way more interested in him than their drinks. He looked at their route through the room to the back door. Damn. Another table with four of those suckers.

"We've got people watching us all over this place," Kylo told Rey. "I told you we needed to bring our lightsabers."

"What do you want to do, Kylo? Force freeze them? Toss them out of the way with the Force? Or maybe use the Mind Trick?" asked Rey.

"There's nearly a dozen of them and they're spread out between the front door and the rear one. How many do you think you can handle?"

Hux and Phasma looked at each other. Phasma began to laugh.

"Bloody space wizards," smirked Hux. "They think using the Force is the answer to everything."

He looked at Kylo and Rey. "Use the Force and the hunters who didn't know where you are will figure to out pretty damn quickly. You need a diversion."

"What did you have in mind?" asked Kylo.

"Are you going to leave through the front door or the back door?" queried Hux

Rey and Kylo exchanged a glance.

"Back," answered Rey.

"Ok. When you see the signal head out," replied Phasma.

"What signal?" demanded Kylo.

"Oh, you'll know," rejoined Hux. "Meet us at the Blue Flower Casino and House of Negotiable Affections. It's down the road next to the Spaceport."

"Why would we want to do that?" rebuffed Kylo.

"Partly because I still want to talk to you about a proposition. Mainly, you're going to owe Phasma for getting you out of here without being seen," replied Hux.

Phasma stood up, smiled, and looked at Rey. "Watch and learn, kid."

She turned around and headed for the three hunters leaning on the bar.

"Why is she walking that way?" asked Rey as Phasma slinked over to the bar, hips swinging sensuously.

"Uhh, I'll tell you later," replied Kylo. Who knew Phasma could be so - well, _sexy_? Chrome armor screamed competent and deadly. That leather outfit, and the walk, and the look on her face - that whispered sensual and fatal.

They watched as Phasma wiggled her way between two of the bounty hunters and ordered a stout. She turned slightly and looked shyly through her eyelashes at the man on her left. After a few minutes of conversation, the man reached down and started squeezing her butt. Her face took on an offended look, her hand came up, there was a loud smacking sound, and suddenly the man was laying on the floor with a bright red handprint on his face. The rest of his face flushed red to complement both the handprint and his rising anger. His two partners watched, amusement evident on their faces.

"You damn bitch!" he yelled as he got up from the floor, violence in his eyes.

"That's my cue," said Hux as he got up from the table and headed for the bar.

"Do we leave now, Kylo?" asked Rey.

"Not quite yet," replied Kylo as he watched the scene play out near the bar.

As Hux approached the bar Phasma grabbed the man she had slapped by the front of his shirt and sailed him down the bar. As he slid he knocked glasses in various stages of full over on unwary customers.

Meanwhile, Hux prevented the second bounty hunter from assaulting Phasma from behind by grabbing two handfuls of shirt and launching him onto a nearby table. A table full of dockworkers who were looking forward to a relaxing evening and a drink - or six. Phasma threw the third bounty hunter into the table of four that Kylo had spotted toward the back of the common room.

"Good throw," complemented Hux. "You sent him at least 30 feet."

At this point, the beer, music, energy, and violence had combined into a potent mix that got the majority of the men in the common room on their feet looking for an old fashioned bar fight.

"That's the signal," Kylo told Rey. "Time for us to leave."

They scooted along the wall toward the low stage from where the band had rolled into a song that sounded suspiciously like Dueling Banjos mixed with Foggy Mountain Breakdown. As they made their way across the space in front of the stage they both missed the fact that the bagpipe had fallen unnoticed onto the floor until Rey stepped on it. They both jumped as it made a long pathetic sound like a slowly dying animal.

"Just keep going," Kylo told Rey. "We're almost there." The fight was getting louder and rowdier.

"Kylo, this is getting painful. There are too many minds with too much emotion."

"Pull back into yourself, Rey. You're too present in the Force. I'm having the same problem."

As they reached the back of the common room they were confronted with three doors. Two doors, located next to each other were wood and covered with decorative carvings. One door had a sign that read 'Boireannaich' while the sign on the other door read 'Fhir.' Mhoirbheinn felt that if you really had to use the facilities you could figure out which was which.

The third door was a plain utility door with a bar to push to open it. It also had a sign on it with the word 'Fàgail' as well as the Basic word 'Exit.' If you absolutely had to leave through the back Mhoirbheinn wanted to be sure you knew which door was which.

"Let me go first," Kylo told Rey. "There may be a reception committee in the alley."

"I need to get out of all this chaos right now." She darted in front of him and pushed the bar firmly. "Stop treating me like a damsel in distress!" she snapped as she stepped out into the allegedly fresh air of the alley behind the pub.

This time the gods of narrative necessity were definitely having their jollies.

As Rey stepped out into the alley she felt something sharp stab into her right arm. "Shit!" she yelled, surprised, as she turned and looked into the startled eyes of a man plastered against the wall next to the door. He had a syringe clutched tightly in his hand. The plunger was depressed and whatever was in the syringe was now in Rey's arm. Instinct and adrenaline kicked in and she Force pushed him away from her and down the alley.

She jumped out of the doorway and into the alley. Kylo came barreling through the door behind her. Three more men stood in the alley, armed with syringes similar to the one held by the man who had stabbed Rey.

"Don't let them get near you!" she cried, already feeling the effect of whatever was in that syringe. She reached for the Force, but it was already difficult to grasp it. Kylo glanced over at her, then looking back at the men in the alley he froze them in place with the Force.

The back door to the pub clunked noisily as Hux and Phasma made their exit.

"You two were supposed to be gone by now." criticized Hux disapprovingly.

"We had a reception committee," replied Kylo, waving his hand toward the human statues. "What do you think I should do with them?"

"We could just kill them," commented Phasma dispassionately.

"We could," agreed Hux, "The authorities get a bit touchy about dead bodies in the Path of Coins entertainment district though. It's bad for business."

"No killing," said Rey decisively. "Kylo, could you knock them out and make them forget they saw us?"

"Sure, if that's what you want," he answered. In short order four bounty hunters were unconscious and sprawled in a messy pile against one of the walls. He carefully removed the syringes, made sure they were properly capped, and dropped them into a pocket in his jacket.

By this time Rey's head was pounding, her body ached, and her stomach was in knots. Even worse, she couldn't feel the Force at all.

"Kylo …" she warbled, fear and panic starting to set in. Kylo glanced at her, stopped, and then looked more closely. He couldn't feel her through the Force Bond. He looked at the syringes in his pocket and realized that Rey must have been injected with Neurostrin.

"What's wrong with the kid?" asked Phasma.

"She's not feeling well. Probably something she ate," responded Kylo. No reason for Hux to know about the force suppression drug. He put an arm around Rey's shoulders. "I need to get you back to the ship. Can you walk back to the speeder?" he asked.

She nodded, too nauseated to risk opening her mouth.

"I still need to talk to you. It's important," insisted Hux.

"Kind of busy right now Hux," replied Kylo.

"Meet me at the Blue Flower tomorrow," badgered Hux.

"If Rey is feeling better I will," agreed Kylo distractedly. Still supporting Rey, the two of them walked down the alley and into the night.

Phasma looked back through the open door. "The fight's dying down, Armi"

"Don't call me that," said Hux absently as he watched Kylo and Rey leave. "Come on, Brienne let's get out of here."

* * *

Author's notes: I meant to have this out midweek but we were all caught up in the Presidental election kerfuffle. It's hard to be creative when you are stressing over the vote count.

I just love the idea of Phasma being slinky and sexy when she needs to be.

And I was all giggly over the idea of Rey stepping on the bagpipes. I am easily amused.

'Boireannaich' is Scots Gaelic for 'Women' while 'Fhir' is 'Men.'

On Rey getting hit with the force suppression drug - y'all knew one of the Dynamic Duo was going to get a dose of Neurostrin. Yes, I'm evil. Thank you for noticing.


	55. Chapter 55: When the Going Gets Tough

"How close are you to Ord Mantell, Dameron?" Inspector Falkus's voice crackled over the speakers in the cockpit of the Galaxy Quest.

"We're just an hour out Inspector. We should be entering Burke's Trailing hyperspace route in another hour or so," replied Poe.

"Is Doctor Galen near the comm?"

"I'm right here Peter," answered Aurelia from her seat behind the pilot's station.

"I just got a comm from our favorite Force user. He requested your presence back on Ord Mantell as soon as possible," grumbled Falkus. It was the middle of the night on Coruscant and he had been asleep. He really didn't appreciate a 3 am wake-up. "He didn't have your comm code."

"Why does he want me back there, Peter?" she asked.

"Rey is sick," he stated bluntly. "It's a Force related issue. It may be medication related."

"Neurostrin?"

"Most likely."

"Of course I'll go back and assist," said Aurelia. "If these gentlemen are willing to turn around and take me."

"We'd be happy to take the doctor back, Chief," answered Poe. "Ummm, how should I enter this on the timesheet? My scheduled vacation is up tomorrow."

"When I get into the office in the morning I'll assign you against the Hosnian Cataclysm investigation. Charge your time against that for now."

"Peter," interrupted Aurelia, "Did Gracie find any more information?"

"Yeah, but I'm not going to dig it out at gods-damned unreasonable o'clock in the morning. I'll ping the data to you on The Ghost via a secure comm line tomorrow after my first cup of coffee."

"Anything else?" asked Aurelia.

"Yeah," grumbled the Inspector, "I'm sending Ren's comm code to you. You may have to talk him down."

"Thank you, Peter. And thank you for the loan of Inspector Dameron.

"S e do bheatha. Bidh faiceallach, Aurelia."

"Always, Peter."

Kylo was back in the Ghost's crew quarters watching over Rey when there was an incoming comm signal from the cockpit. He routed the call back to the quarters. No way was he leaving Rey's side.

"Ren here. Is this Inspector Falkus?"

A pleasant, calm female voice replied, "It's Doctor Galen, Master Ren. I understand that Rey is ill?"

"Force, Dr. Galen, I am happy to hear your voice!" replied Kylo, relief flooding through him.

"What's wrong with our Rey?" asked Finn anxiously.

"What did you do to Rey?" snarled Poe.

"Mr. Dameron, Inspector Dameron, if you don't mind I need to ascertain her condition," rebuked Aurelia.

"Dr. Galen, do those two clowns need to be part of this conversation?" fumed Kylo.

"I'm on their ship and they have graciously agreed to take me back to Ord Mantell. So yes, they are a passive part of this conversation." Aurelia explained patiently.

She glanced meaningfully at Poe and Finn. "I am sure that they will agree to listen and only offer input when asked. Now, tell me how long she has been ill and what symptoms she is experiencing."

"They started about an hour ago. Nausea, muscle aches, and a blinding headache." Kylo answered.

"About what we would expect from Neurostrin," said Aurelia speculatively.

"She also started shivering about 15 minutes ago," he added.

"Any fever?"

"No."

"Probably a physiological reaction to the stress her body is going through. Keep her warm, but don't bundle her up. If you are able to sit touching her do so. Since her connection with the Force is blocked she will need physical contact with you."

"Should I give her a pain reliever for her headache? It's pretty bad." worried Kylo.

"I don't know what interactions there would be, if any, with the Neurostrin. I think you should hold off until I can examine her."

She looked at Poe, "When do you think we will arrive at Morro Spaceport, Inspector Dameron?"

"We've got less than an hour," replied Poe. "Ren, do you know what Docking Bay and Terminal you're parked at?"

"We're at Docking Bay 42, Terminal 4."

"We should be able to park right next to you."

"Thank you, Dr. Galen," said Kylo. "I think you would agree that Rey needs a doctor who is familiar with Force related conditions."

He hesitated then added, "Thank you Poe, Finn, for going out of your way to bring Dr. Galen back to Ord Mantell."

"We're doing it for Rey," replied Poe firmly.

"Kylo, please stop hovering. I'm trying to focus."

"Sorry, Aurelia. I'm just concerned."

"Concerned is fine, but you need to give me some breathing space while I examine her."

"And you two - quit blocking the doorway and go back to the lounge. I'll be out soon."

"I'm sorry Dr. Galen, but I'm not used to sitting and waiting," muttered Poe. "What's wrong with Rey? Is she going to be ok?"

"I promise to update you when I'm done. Now skedaddle. You're in the way."

"Come on, Poe," said Finn. "I'll make a pot of coffee and you can put some food out. I'm sure Dr. Galen is getting hungry. If that's alright with you, Ren."

"Fine, fine," he responded distractedly.

"I'm going to administer an analgesic with a mild sleep aid, Kylo," said Dr. Galen. "It shouldn't interact with the Neurostrin and it will make her more comfortable."

"Help her sit up," she continued as she sat next to the bunk and measured a green liquid into a small cup. She held the cup up to Rey's mouth and encouraged her to drink the liquid. "Drink it up, dear. It will help you feel better."

"I hate this," Rey said fretfully. "I feel blind and deaf. And everything hurts."

Kylo held her up and gently stroked her hair. "Come on, love," he murmured softly. After she finished he laid her back on the crew bunk.

"She should start getting relief in a few minutes. The best thing for her right now is sleep and letting the drug work its way out of her system." Aurelia stood up. "Once she's asleep would you please join us in the lounge, Kylo? I want to know how she got a dose of Neurostrin. And I think it will calm the Damerons if you tell them, too."

"I'd rather stay with Rey," he demurred. "What if she wakes up?"

"Then you will go to her when she calls for you," Aurelia said firmly as she ushered him out the door.

After Aurelia had kicked them out of the crew quarters Poe and Finn wandered over to the lounge area. They mooched over to the kitchenette and started checking for comestibles.

"So what do you think, Poe?" asked Finn as he poured water into the coffee brewer.

"About what?" he returned as he rummaged in the cooler. "I see cheese and fruit in here. See if there is bread or crackers in one of the cabinets."

"Poe, what do you think about how Kylo Ren was behaving?" insisted Finn.

"I'm not sure what you're getting at," returned Poe as he looked in the cabinets. "He was behaving like Kylo Ren, wasn't he?"

"No, not really," answered Finn. "He was acting like he was worried about Rey. Like he cared about her."

Poe looked over at Finn. "That's kind of disturbing."

"I know right?" noted Finn. "It's hard to remember he's a monster when he acts like an attentive boyfriend."

"You need to stop talking now, sweetie," said Poe.

"Yeah, I don't want to think about it either." agreed Finn. He sat there quietly for a moment, thinking. "Poe, do you think Rey is going to be alright?"

"Rey's tough. She'll be fine," reassured Poe.

"You did what?" exclaimed Aurelia. "You started a bar fight?"

"It wasn't me!" retorted Kylo.

They were sitting at the table in the lounge of the Ghost with Poe and Finn. Aurelia was angry and Kylo was defensive.

"We should have made popcorn," Poe whispered to Finn.

"Yeah, Kylo Ren being dressed down by a little grey-haired lady. It's priceless," Finn agreed.

"Stay out of it you two." scolded Aurelia. "Now," she continued to Kylo, "Start at the beginning."

"Right," responded Kylo. "After you left the pub with these two Hux and Phasma let us know that the pub was full of bounty hunters. They started a bar fight so we could take off out the back door. A few were smart enough to figure it out and were waiting for us to come out. Rey was out the door first and got hit with a syringe of something that surpassed her connection to the Force as well as making her physically ill."

Kylo reached into his jacket pocket and carefully pulled out a handful of syringes. "This is what they were carrying. They're damn lucky Rey wouldn't let me kill them."

Aurelia picked up a syringe carefully and looked at it. "If I remember the data correctly this is a dose for a much larger person than Rey. It's probably calibrated for your body weight, Kylo."

"What do you think that will do to Rey?" asked Kylo worriedly.

"I don't know, Kylo," answered Aurelia. "Inspector Falkus has some additional information he's going to send us in the morning, Coruscant time. He was a little put out at being awakened at 3 am," she added.

"I apologized," retorted Kylo. "I didn't have any other way to contact you."

"In any case," Aurelia continued, "I'm planning to stay on the Ghost overnight to monitor Rey's condition. If we are fortunate the larger dose will wear off after the normal duration time. It's possible that the larger dose will cause her force connection to be suppressed for a longer period of time." She looked over at Poe and Finn, "I'd appreciate it if you could bring my bag over from your ship."

"Dr. Galen," said Finn, "Is Rey going to be alright?"

"She should be, Mr. Dameron." I'll know more in the morning."

"You can call us Poe and Finn," quipped Poe.

"Thank you, Poe. If you don't mind I'd like my bag now. It's going to be a long night."

* * *

Author's Notes: According to Google Translate, "S e do bheatha. Bidh faiceallach" is "Thank you. Be careful."

I wasn't planning to include Poe and Finn in this chapter but darn if they didn't find their way in. :-)

Next week may be busier than normal so the next chapter may be a bit late. I'll try to get it out by Friday.


	56. Chapter 56: The Tough Get Going

_Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road_

_Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go_

_So make the best of this test and don't ask why_

_It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time_

_\- Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day_

The lights are low in the Ghost. It's well into the evening hours on Ord Mantell.

Rey is sleeping, with Kylo watching over her protectively.

Poe and Finn have dropped off Aurelia's bag and left to check out the casinos in the Path of Coins entertainment district after the good doctor told them firmly to scram and not come back until morning.

Aurelia is sitting in the lounge with a mug of chamomile tea, contemplating how her relatively quiet life on Coruscant has been totally disrupted and tied inexorably to Kylo Ren and Rey Skywalker. She sighed. The Force has apparently decided that her skills and abilities were just what was needed to facilitate whatever was going on with these two Force kiddos. Ok, she should probably stop thinking of them as kids. They're both adults. Incredibly powerful Force-sensitive adults. Incredibly powerful Force-sensitive adults who have suffered a great deal of physical and psychological abuse. She sighed and covered her eyes for a moment.

_"Lucky me,"_ thought Aurelia, _"This is right in my wheelhouse."_

The question now was how much support would they need from her? Can she go back to Coruscant and just check in with them occasionally? Or will she need to travel with them? It's unclear to her right now. She has had occasional Force visions since she was a teenager. She had learned not to rely too heavily on them. The future isn't immutable and can change drastically depending on individual choices in the present. Still, she had a rather strong precog a few days ago during meditation that suggested she wasn't done with Kylo and Rey. It might be time to pull out the Cairtean Etteilla she always carries in her bag and see if she could use them to refine what she was sensing in the Force

Aurelia drained her mug and took it over to the galley. One more check on Rey and she would try to get some sleep. She wandered over to the crew quarters, knocked on the door, and went in. Kylo was stretched out on the bunk behind Rey, who was asleep, curled up against Kylo's chest, his arm wrapped around her protectively. Aurelia sat down in the chair next to the bunk and asked softly, "Any changes?"

"I think it's wearing off," answered Kylo quietly. "I can feel our Bond - not strongly yet, but it's there." The relief was evident on his expressive face.

Aurelia focused on Rey. "I can see her Force signature. It's still hard to sense but I can feel it. It's been about 5 hours, hasn't it?"

"Closer to 6 hours," replied Kylo.

"I think the worst is past," yawned Aurelia. "Good night, Kylo. I'm going to get some sleep. You should too."

"'I'll take your advice after I make sure the Ghost is buttoned up. Good night Aurelia."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"We found a DunkinGulp in Terminal 4!" proclaimed Finn as he and Poe came up the entry ramp laden with boxes of pastries and a jug of freshly made coffee.

They deposited the boxes and jug on the table.

"Good morning Dr. Galen," said Poe as he breezed into the galley to scrounge some mugs.

"Where's Ren?" he added, setting down a mug of coffee and grabbing a pastry.

"In the crew quarters. He'll be out soon," answered Aurelia.

"How's Rey?" asked Finn as he sat down. He opened a box with a flourish and pulled out something deep-fried and covered with chocolate.

Aurelia touched the Force briefly and checked on her patient. And immediately withdrew to give Rey and Kylo some privacy.

"She's doing much better," replied Aurelia. "She's freshening up."

"That's great!" he beamed. He stood up and headed toward the crew quarters hollering "Hey Rey!"

"What do you think you're doing, Master Dameron?" said Aurelia sharply.

Finn looked over his shoulder, startled. "I'm going to see Rey."

"I strongly advise you to sit here and wait for her."

"Why? I want to make sure she's ok."

She gave him an old fashioned look. "They're taking a shower in the crew quarters fresher."

Finn stopped, turned, and walked back to the table, embarrassment written all over his face.

Aurelia looked at Finn's despondent face. "Rey is is an adult and fully capable of making her own decisions, Master Dameron."

"You can call me Finn." He put his face in his hands and sighs noisily.

"I just - I just want what's best for her. She's my best friend."

"I understand that, Finn. But please remember that Rey is not only a mature woman, she is also intelligent and a powerful Force-sensitive. She can take care of herself."

Suddenly a distinctly girlish shriek rang out from the crew quarters.

Finn jumped to his feet. "Rey! What's that monster doing to her?"

Aurelia reached up and grabbed Finn's arm, pulling him down into his seat. "Calm down young man. Rey is fine."

"But she's screaming!" exclaimed Finn.

Poe nonchalantly grabbed a cream-filled pastry from the box. "Finn my love, even I knew that's not a scream of distress."

They heard some loud giggling, interspace with a very masculine laugh. This was followed by Kylo carrying Rey in a bridal hold through the crew quarters door.

"Put me down Kylo! I can walk." _[[I'm fine love.]]_

"What if I don't want to put you down?" _{{I couldn't see you in the Force. I couldn't feel you in our Bond.}}_

"You're a brat, Kylo." _[[I know. I was so scared. And sick. It was horrible.]]_

"I'm your brat, Rey." _{{I'm so glad you're back in my mind. Don't ever leave again.}}_

Finn watched the interchange with a strange look on his face.

They reached the table and Kylo pulled out a chair with the Force. He gently deposited Rey on the seat and leaned in for a kiss.

"What can I get for you, sweetheart?" he asked her.

"Some tea and crackers please, love. I don't think my stomach can handle coffee and donuts yet."

Finn watched Rey as Kylo went to the galley to fill her request. "You two really love each other," he said wonderingly.

"I told you when we were at the pub," exclaimed Rey.

"You told me you loved him," corrected Finn. "But I couldn't tell until now that he feels the same way about you."

Kylo returned from the galley and put a mug of hot tea and a plate of crackers in front of Rey.

"Aurelia, when do you think we will hear from Inspector Falkus?" asked Kylo.

"Knowing Peter and his workload I suspect it will be a few more hours," replied Aurelia.

"Hux wanted to meet with me today. I can take care of that while we are waiting for the Inspector's update."

"Where does he want to meet us, love?" asked Rey, sipping her tea.

"Some place near the spaceport called The Blue Flower," answered Kylo.

"As your doctor, I recommend that you stay here and rest, Rey," interjected Aurelia.

"I agree," said Kylo as he stood up from the table and started towards the entry ramp. "I won't be long."

As Kylo disappeared down the ramp Finn nudged Poe and asked "Say, Poe, didn't we pass the Blue Flower when we were checking out casinos last night?"

"You mean the Blue Flower Casino and House of Negotiable Affections? Yeah, we did."

"Is that what I think it is?" asked Rey, her voice going up several decibels.

"It's a casino," replied Poe. "It's supposed to have a decent bar and restaurant."

"It also has an attached pleasure house," added Finn. "Not that we would know much about that."

"Are you telling me that Hux is meeting my Kylo at a brothel?" Rey shrieks.

"I really doubt They're meeting in the pleasure house," reassured Finn, trying to calm her down.

"Right," fumed Rey as she started to get out of her chair. "They are not meeting without me."

"Rey Skywalker, you will sit down _now_." Aurelia snapped, her voice laced with the Force. She stands and looks Rey in the eye. "You will sit here and recover and you will trust Kylo while he is meeting this Hux person." Rey sits back down reluctantly.

Aurelia turned to Poe and Finn. "You two, obviously, are not constrained by the same prohibitions." She sat down and daintily sipped her coffee.

Poe and Finn look at each other. "Right!" exclaimed Poe as Finn grabbed another donut. "Come on Finn, let's check out the local entertainment."

* * *

Author's Notes: I really, really intended to get this chapter out last week. Life happens. I plan to continue to post weekly (probably Thursday or Friday) but with the holidays coming up that may be a bit aspirational.

Ya know, I intended for Poe and Finn to have a couple of cameo appearances in this fic. It appears they have managed to make themselves rather important secondary characters.

Anyone catch the Shrek 2 reference?


	57. Chapter 57:Melodrama

As Kylo walked from the Spaceport to the Path of Coins he entertained doubts about meeting with Armitage Hux, On the one hand, he owed him the courtesy of at least listening to whatever scheme he had brewing that would need Kylo's talents. Obviously his Force talents and not so much his talents as a pilot or a smuggler. No, Hux probably wants him to act as an enforcer. Maybe as an assassin. Those were both tasks he performed for Supreme Leader Snoke in the past. He could possibly slip enforcer past Rey's moral radar but she would put her foot down at assassin.

As he moved into the Path of Coins he looked for signage that would indicate his destination, the Blue Flower. There were certainly plenty of casinos along the way. There's the Oasis Casino and House of Pleasure, the House of Cards Casino and House of Pleasure, Casino Royale Gambling Establishment and House of Pleasure, and the Gold Coast Casino and House of Pleasure. Interesting. Every gambling establishment so far has an attached brothel.

As he continued to walk down the street he speculated about the place he's meeting Hux and Phasma. So what about the Blue Flower? Not that Kylo is interested in a house of pleasure. He's just curious if it follows the pattern. Ah, there's a sign, ahead and to the left. The Blue Flower Casino and House of Negotiable Affections. Huh, they're upfront about having a brothel. No euphemism there. No worries. He knows Rey trusts him. He is absolutely not interested. And the Force bond is really handy for keeping him honest.

Kylo had never been that interested in gambling. When you can sense thoughts and emotions card games were no challenge. Roulette wheels and dicing could be influenced with little Force nudges. Slot machines were computerized and less vulnerable to alteration with the Force, but quite frankly watching the dials spin was boring, not to mention that they were programmed to give the advantage to the house.

As he walked in the main entrance he noticed that this casino was one of the smaller establishments, and designed to optimize the space available. The ceilings were low, and the lights were muted. The floor was a maze, divided into small gambling areas with twists, turns, and small pathways. There were no clocks displayed anywhere. There were very few signs, and it was just luck that he spotted the one pointing to the bar and restaurant towards the back of the building. It was evident that the owners of the Blue Flower had put some money into hiring an expert design specialist. The atmosphere sucked in the unwary tourist and held them entranced until the last credit could be squeezed from their wallet.

As he made his way to the back of the Blue Flower he felt that he was being watched. He looked around casually but the design of the establishment made it difficult to tell who might have eyes on him. He reached out in the Force and felt the emotional atmosphere. There was nothing hostile directed at him though that was no reason to let his guard down. As he reached the bar at the back of the Blue Flower he spotted Hux sitting at a small table with his back against the wall. There was a glass in front of him with what was probably Corellian whiskey. Probably Whyren's Reserve if a second-tier establishment stocked it. Hux preferred to drink the good stuff when he could. Kylo walked over to the table and sat down next to him.

"Hux," he said in greeting.

"Ren," Hux acknowledged. "What can I get you?" he nodded to his whiskey.

"Just some coffee," Kylo replied. "It's a little early in the day for brandy." He looked around the bar. "Did Phasma come with you?"

Hux nodded toward a discreet red door set in the back wall next to the bar. "She's over in the brothel."

Kylo raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "I was unaware that her interests lay in that direction."

"Oh, calm down Ren. They offer more than 'negotiable affections' here. Brienne is getting some tips from the exotic dancers. She thinks adding that skill set will be useful."

A waitress comes up to the table and sets a cup of coffee in front of Kylo, smiles, and leaves.

Kylo takes a sip of his coffee, a speculative look on his face. "So what are you planning that requires my talents? I assume you mean my Force powers."

"Well I certainly didn't mean your diplomatic acumen," he responded snidely. His expression hardens. "You owe me, Ren. You owe me for every piece of equipment on my Star Destroyer you destroyed in a temper tantrum. every wall you reduced to slag, every Stormtrooper you killed in a fit of pique, and every time you choked me or threw me into a wall with the Force. And I intend to collect."

"Assuming that I owe you anything, which I do not at this point concede, what did you have in mind?"

"I'm going to take down the Renewed First Order."

"The whole thing? Don't you think that's overly ambitious?"

"Well," conceded Hux, "All I need to do is eliminate select members of the Supreme Council and replace them with my allies. The rest of the leadership will fall in line."

Kylo drank some more coffee, then put his cup down on the table. "I'm not an assassin, Hux"

Hux gave him a look that roughly translated 'WTF?' and said "and when did this change occur?"

"Roughly about 30 seconds after I cut Snoke in half."

Hux threw him a sly look. "I knew it wasn't the scavenger girl."

"Regardless," answered Kylo, "this isn't an operation that I feel any pressing need to become involved."

"Let me give you some reasons to reconsider," said Hux with Luciferian calm. The Supreme Council is destroying everything we worked for through their greed and gross incompetence. The systems in their sphere of influence are being strip-mined for their resources. The human populations are being harvested as enslaved workforce or stormtroopers. Nonhuman populations are subject to systematic pogroms."

"Didn't that happen under Snoke?" asked Kylo.

"Not to this extent," replied Hux. "And if you recall we were slowly moving away from these policies when you disappeared and were presumed dead."

Hux finished his whiskey and signaled for another. "There's something else."

Kylo waited while Hux's drink was delivered.

Hux held up his glass and stared at the amber liquid, marshaling his thoughts. Then he drained his glass in one gulp.

"Palpatine," he finally said. "left extensive records behind. If you know where to look. And if you know what to look for. Phasma and I have been searching out and researching Palpatine's records since you eliminated Snoke." He paused again.

"Hux, just spit it out," growled Kylo.

"Ren, did you ever wonder why he built a huge military machine out in the Unknown Regions?"

"No, not really. He was a megalomaniac who thought he had figured out how to beat death and wanted to rule the galaxy again."

"Close, but no cigarra. Admittedly, he wanted to rule the galaxy. But he had intel that indicated that we were facing an extra-galactic threat capable of wiping out civilization as we know it."

"Rather melodramatic, don't you think Hux? Sounds like the psychotic speech you gave before you fired Starkiller."

"It wasn't psychotic. It was intended to convey the determination and sincerity of the First Order."

"It made you sound like a psychopath." countered Kylo.

"I'm not a psychopath," replied Hux. "After extensive testing, I was diagnosed as a bloody son of a bitch."

"In any case," he continued, "I'm convinced that something is coming. It's big, nasty, and the galaxy will need to be united to face it."

"So you want to take over the Renewed First Order and take over the galaxy," stated Kylo.

"No."

"Didn't you just say the galaxy needed to be united?"

"Yes."

"Hux, you're confusing me."

"I'll use small words so that you'll be sure to understand. One, there is an extra-galactic threat heading our way. Two, the galaxy needs to be united to meet this threat. Three, a large, galactic spanning government is inefficient and wasteful. Four, regional governments with a mutual defense agreement is more manageable. Five, I need to take over the Renewed First Order and work on point Four so we can defend against point One.

Kylo thought for a minute. "Okay, I see where you are going. When is this threat suppose to reach us?"

"Palpatine's estimates placed it anywhere from 5 to 10 years." Hux raised his hand before Kylo could protest. "I know, it sounds far off but we will need every minute to create alliances and prepare. And that still may not be enough time."

Kylo sat back in his chair. "I'll need to talk this over with Rey," he said thoughtfully "We have bounty hunters chasing us and somebody targeting us with Force powered attacks." His lips twitched in a lopsided smile when he thought about how Rey would react to this. "I'll help you if I can convince my partner. I won't be your assassin, but I may agree to be your muscle."

* * *

Author Notes: It appears that Kylo's dance card is getting filled up rather quickly. I haven't forgotten about the nightmares and the Force attack at the wedding reception. We will get back to that part of the storyline eventually.


	58. Chapter 58:Redhead

Ah, God made the blondes, black-haired, and the brunettes

Devil dropped in, said, "I don't think you're done yet

Let's make a compromise, make an angel backslide"

So they chipped in, and they made a little redhead

-Redhead by Caylee Hammack

Hux frowned at Kylo. He's known Kylo for years. Kylo Ren was practically a force of nature, and nearly as violent and destructive. So this thing about asking his girlfriend if it's ok before he goes on a spree of bloody berserking just doesn't compute. He leans back in his chair and rubs a finger across his lips thoughtfully.

"Are you telling me the great Kylo Ren has to ask 'mother may I?' to his girlfriend to rain down death and destruction on his enemies?" he sneered.

"You don't understand," replied Kylo angrily.

"Mind explaining it?" Hux drawled.

"Not really. It's a Force thing. Suffice to say that I wouldn't be alive right now were it not for Rey."

Hux is intrigued, but before he can press the subject further the red door swings open. Clouds of perfume and wild music float out ahead of Phasma. She is followed by another woman who is dressed in diaphanous forest green scarves and not much else. The scarves are attached to some sort of spangled bikini bottom. She's wearing a matching spangled bra top. There is some sort of hip scarf that is covered with strings of coins that jingle as she moves. The whole costume is topped by a headband made of coins with an attached face veil and another long diaphanous scarf that covers her hair.

Phasma strolled over to Hux with a big grin on her face. The woman in green undulated along behind her until they reach the table, where she strikes a pose and waits behind Phasma.

"I like this one, Armi," Phasma proclaimed. "I think I'll keep her."

"First, don't call me that. Secondly, what have I told you about picking up strays?"

"You're no fun," pouts Phasma. She looked at Kylo and then back at the exotic dancer. "Hey sweetie, why don't you say hello to my friend?" The woman nods, shimmied over to Kylo, and gracefully sat down on his lap.

"Hi there handsome," she purred as she put an arm next to his neck and reached up to wrap her hand up into his hair. With the other hand, she pulled back her face veil just far enough to plant a kiss on his cheek.

Kylo, to say the least, is flustered. Who is this woman and why is she acting in such a familiar manner? If Rey were here she would - well he's not exactly sure what she would do but it wouldn't be pleasant.

"Miss, you need to get up," he said lamely. The woman gave a silvery laugh and wiggled a little while Kylo started to turn red. "Something wrong, big boy?" she whispered in his ear.

Ok, he has had enough. "Miss, you need to get up before I remove you forcibly."

The woman bounced up, swirled gracefully, and struck a poise. "Miss? You used to call me 'Kitten' when we were padawans." With that, she removed her face veil.

"Kateria?" exclaimed Kylo

"Yep!" she smirked as she sat in the empty chair next to Kylo. "Didn't feel my Force signature at all, did you?"

"Not a peep. You've been practicing masking your signature, haven't you?"

"Impressed, Kylo?" Kateria grinned.

"Impressed, yes. You were struggling with that when you were still a Knight of Ren."

Phasma sat down next to Hux as the waitress delivered another whiskey to their table. She snatched it from in front of him and drained it in one long gulp.

"You didn't need another one Armitage," she said as she set the empty glass down.

"Next time you do that I'll break your fingers," promised Hux

Phasma merely smiled, recognizing a (mostly) empty threat when she heard one.

Kylo is still perplexed. "Kat, what are you doing in a brothel, and why are you dressed in scarves and spangles?"

"Well," she giggled, "As to the first part of your question, I was working."

"As an exotic dancer." she hastened to add when she saw the shocked expression on his face. "Exotic dancers can't be touched by the brothel patrons on the threat of being ejected with extreme prejudice."

"And the outlandish outfit?"

"That's what exotic dancers wear on Ord Mantell," she answered. "Now for your yet unvocalized question, why, the answer to that is a girl's gotta eat." Her giddy exterior dropped a bit. "I broke up with my bounty hunter girlfriend and she left me stranded here with the clothes on my back and whatever credits I had in my pockets." She sighed. "Loorie was keen on going after your bounty. She was leaving Ord Mantell but she was coming back as soon as she scored some sort of Force suppressing drug." Kateria shrugged, "I had to bail at that point."

"Smart of you Kat," said Kylo, "Rey and I had a run-in yesterday with some bounty hunters. One of them managed to hit her with a syringe of that stuff. Suffice to say you don't ever want to get injected with Neurostrin."

"I didn't think the food made the kid sick," interjected Phasma. "Though haggis doesn't always sit well with the uninitiated."

Wind the clock back about twenty minutes. Kylo is at a table in the bar of the Blue Flower, talking business with Armitage Hux. Phasma and Kateria have not yet come through the red door. And Poe and Finn have just arrived and are wending their way between the slot machines and the gambling tables.

"Do you see him anywhere, Finn?" asked Poe.

"It's hard to see much of anything with this dim lighting," replied Finn. "Do you think he would be at a gaming table?"

"I doubt it. He said he was meeting General Hux, so he's probably back at the bar or in the restaurant."

"Where do you think the bar is, Poe? I don't see a sign."

"Hell Finn, I don't even see signs pointing to the restrooms."

They wander the maze of gambling tables and slot machines, every so often finding themselves in a dead-end. Eventually, they wander toward the back and the bar.

"Poe, I think I see them!" exclaimed Finn. "They're at that table near the bar."

Poe grabs his shoulder and pulls Finn back between two rows of unoccupied slot machines.

"We don't want Ren to know that we're spying on him, Finn," he cautioned. "There's no telling what he would do if he found out."

"Sure we know," muttered Finn. "He'd get mad and start destroying things with his lightsaber."

Poe ignores Finn and peeks around a slot machine. "Holy crap!"

"What? What's happening Poe?"

"There's a woman dressed in almost nothing sitting on his lap!"

"Really? Move over." Finn wedged himself between Poe and the slot machine.

"You're right! Ooh, did you see that? She kissed him!"

They are both outraged. How could he do that to Rey?

"Hey Finn," said Poe, "I think they know each other."

"I think you're right, Poe. Look at the way they are sitting and talking to each other."

They're in a quandary. Should they tell Rey or keep quiet?

"Let's head back, Finn," decided Poe. "We'll figure out what to do on the way."

Back at the table, Kateria puts her hand on Kylo's arm, a serious expression on her face.

"There's something you need to know," she said soberly. "The Renewed First Order has a bounty out on Rey. It's not as big as yours but it's fairly substantial."

"Why would the Renewed First Order have a bounty on Rey?" asked Kylo. He looked over at Hux. "Do you know anything about this?"

"I thought that bounty was canceled after the Supreme Council 'disposed' of me," replied Hux thoughtfully. "If you recall when I found you in the throne room with Snoke's body you told me the scavenger girl had killed him. Obviously, I couldn't let that go with a shrug and a smile."

"Well, do something about it, Hux!" growled Kylo.

"What do you propose Ren? As far as the Renewed First Order is concerned I'm dead."

This pulls Kylo up short. "Dammit," he grumbled. Now Hux had a sweeter to get his help. If Hux takes over the Renewed First Order he could cancel the bounty on Rey.

"While I still have your attention," said Kateria, "I want to get off Ord Mantell. I have no intention of a long term career as an exotic dancer. The other employment options here are less than stellar. Do you have room on your ship for a passenger? I can't pay you and Rey very much but I could exchange work for passage."

Kylo thought for a few minutes. Kat was his best friend at Luke's Jedi Academy, and she had supported him as Master of the Knights of Ren. They didn't have an immediate need for a spy or an assassin, but Kat was clever and talented.

"I think we can work something out," he replied. "Let's go talk to Rey. Do you have something you can change into?"

"No Kylo, I walk down the street dressed like this." teased Kateria. "Of course I have street clothes. If you can wait a bit I'll change and get my wages from the owner."

With that, she got up from the table and flounced through the red door.


	59. Chapter 59: Games People Play

"Who was that Ren?" asked Hux after Kateria disappeared through the red door.

"Kateria Ren," answered Kylo. "Formerly a Knight of Ren. Don't discount her because she's a cute little thing. She's deadlier than a viper."

"I knew her when we were still in the First Order," volunteered Phasma. She smirked, "Kat was a sparring partner with benefits."

"Too much information, Brienne," Hux signaled for another whiskey. "And don't steal this drink from me or we will have words."

He turned back to Kylo. "Obviously she wasn't a thug like most of your Knights. What are her specialties?"

"Kat was my spymaster," said Kylo. "She's also a top-notch assassin."

"That little thing?" asked Hux.

"No one ever sees her coming," smirked Kylo.

Hux finished his drink and stood up, followed by Phasma. "I'll probably have some work for your Knight if she's interested. Give me your comm code and I'll give you mine.

They exchanged information. "I'll get back to you," said Kylo. "I suspect Rey will want to meet with you before she makes a decision."

As Hux and Phasma disappeared into the murky depths of the casino Kateria came bounding through the red door. She was wearing jeans, a short-sleeved, dark green tunic cinched with a wide brown belt, and a long rustic brown sleeveless jacket that reached her knees, There was a lightsaber hilt attached to her belt where it could be concealed by her jacket.

As they made their way out of the casino Kylo nods at her lightsaber. "No blaster?"

"Don't be silly, Kylo. Knives are easier to conceal and they're much quieter." she grins.

They walked down the street in companionable silence toward Morro Spaceport. After a few blocks, Kateria looks over at Kylo," What have you told Rey about me, Kylo?"

"Just that we were padawans at Luke's Jedi Academy and that you followed me to Snoke after what happened." He smiled. "I told her about the tango lesson. And that you tried to teach me how to kiss so I could get a girlfriend. She knows you and I have a platonic relationship."

"Do you think she will let me travel with the two of you?" she asks.

"I don't see why not," answered Kylo. "We have room to spare and no one else traveling with us."

Meanwhile, Poe and Finn are nearly back to the spaceport and the Ghost.

"So what do we do?" Finn asks Poe. "Do we tell Rey what we saw?"

"I honestly don't know, Finn" replied Poe. "If we tell her it's going to cause a big row."

"But if we don't tell her she won't know he's cheating on her. You don't think _he's_ going to tell her, do you?" retorted Finn.

"Probably not," admitted Poe. "But if we tell her and he finds out he's going to be really pissed at us. The last thing we need is an angry Kylo Ren chasing us down."

"True." agreed Finn. "So do we tell her or not?"

"What if we just get in the Galaxy Quest and head back to Coruscant?" suggested Poe.

"And not say goodbye to Rey?" said Finn, aghast. "Besides, friends don't abandon friends in a crisis."

"Yeah," sighed Poe. "And if we leave Dr. Galen behind my boss will have _words_ when I get back to work."

Back at the Ghost, Aurelia is getting antsy. What is her next move in relation to Kylo Ren and Rey Skywalker? She feels the Force as gentle, persistent pressure. The answer is there but she can't quite grasp it. She sighs. She needs to get out a focusing aid. Just meditating hasn't made the path forward any clearer.

Aurelia sits at the table in the lounge and pulls a bag with a deck of cards out of her satchel. The _Cairtean Etteilla_ is a meditation aid she has used since she was a young girl on Comraich. She thinks a moment. Should she lay out a formal spread or randomly draw cards until she feels the Force telling her to stop? She shuffles the brightly colored cards repeatedly as she focuses on the Force and the situation she has found herself in. Let's start with a random draw with a focus on who will be drawn in. The dramatis personae if you will.

She cuts the deck, lays it on the table, and draws cards one at a time, face down. She draws eight cards and feels the Force telling her to stop. Ok, let's see what she can discern.

The first card is _Banrigh nan Soithichean_, the Queen of Vessels. The image shows a powerful woman standing in front of a rose window. She holds up a goblet and stands in the shadows. Her face is stern. This woman does not suffer fools gladly. Aurelia thinks a moment. This card suggests a woman who is a counselor. A confident woman who understands the world of the mind. Someone who is emphatic. A woman who is in touch with the psychic world. Aurelia rolls her eyes. Yes, this is me. Thank you, Force.

The next card is _An Draoidh_, the Magician. The image is of a mature man, dressed formally in a dark suit and wearing a black cape. He holds a sword in his left hand and a goblet in his right. There is a wand at his feet and he is flanked by two lit candles in floor-length holders, The look on his face tells you that he knows exactly what you are thinking. Aurelia smiles. This card indicates a man with a mastery of knowledge and skills, as well as access to a well of focused energy. This definitely represents Master Kylo Ren.

The third card is _An t-àrd-shagart_, the High Priestess. This one is a confident young woman sitting behind a table and dealing the _Cairtean Etteilla_ for the viewer. She has her left hand on a crystal ball and holds two cards in her right hand. The look on her face is playful and tells you that she knows quite a few things that you don't know, and probably should. This archetype indicates a deep well of spiritual wisdom as well as a strong moral foundation. It certainly goes along with Aurelia's mental image of Rey Skywalker.

The next two cards feel as if they should go together. They are _An Amadan_, the Fool, and _Duilleag nan Claidheamhan_, the Page of Swords. The Fool is a cocky young man standing on a rooftop. Behind him, a city is waking up to the dawn. He's at the beginning of a grand adventure, a life journey of discovery. He strongly reminds Aurelia of Finn Dameron. The Page of Swords stands in uniform in front of an airship. The stance is confident and the facial expression clearly says "Yes I know already. Get in the airship." This person is one who will either be a helpful ally or someone who rushes in where angels fear to tread. She doesn't know him too well yet but this one feels like Poe Dameron.

The sixth card is _Ridire nan Claidheamhan_, the Knight of Swords. This image is of an aviator who is dressed in flight gear. This is a mature person. The look on their face is one of conviction and determination. This card indicates a person who is intelligent, confident, decisive, and in all probably a bloody-minded son of a bitch. They will do what they think needs to be done regardless of the cost. Aurelia is not sure if this is a person she has met on this adventure with Kylo and Rey or someone who has yet to cross their path.

There are two cards left. The seventh card is _A 'Ghealach_, the Moon. The image shows a Full Moon high in the sky. Towards the bottom of the card is a river that runs between two towers as it flows to the ocean. This card indicates mystery, confusion, something hidden. The feeling she gets is someone who is not what they seem on the surface. Someone who is hiding their true nature. She is positive this is someone she is yet to meet.

Finally, Aurelia turns over the last card. She stares at it, her breath catching in her throat. It's _An Tùr a chaidh a sgrios_, the Tower. The image is a tower that has been struck and is being destroyed by lightning. Aurelia has jokingly called this the 'And now for something really different!' card but in truth, it's nothing close to a joke. It means change, sudden and dramatic. The lightning bolt was heading for her comfortable, routine life on Coruscant the moment she agreed to help Peter Falkus question Kylo Ren.

She leans her elbow on the table and puts her hand over her face. This is her card draw, so this is her _An Tùr a chaidh a sgrios_. She lifts her head and sighs. When Kylo gets back she will need to ask him and Rey if she can travel onward with them. And if they agree she will need to comm Megan back on Coruscant and tell her to ask her practice partners to take her patient load. She has a feeling that she isn't coming back to her old life.

* * *

Author notes: As some of you may have guessed, the Cairtean Etteilla is a standard tarot deck. Etteilla was the pseudonym of Jean-Baptiste Alliette, an 18th-century French occultist who popularized the use of the tarot for divination, also known as cartomancy. She is using a random card draw as a focusing device to help her get a handle of where the Force is directing her.

Aurelia has not met the person represented by The Moon but she has met the person represented by the Knight of Swords. Yes, they have both been introduced in this fanfic.

Thanks to my dear friend Mary H. for fact-checking my card interpretations.

The deck I used was the Steampunk Tarot by Barbara Moore, illustrated by Aly Fell.


	60. Chapter 60: On the Road Again

Aurelia is trying to tease more clarity from the _Cairtean Etteilla_ when Rey walks out of the crew quarters and into the lounge. Aurelia put the cards aside and smiled at her. "Did you have a good nap?"

"Yes, thank you for the suggestion," Rey responded. "That Neurostrin took more out of me than I thought."

"How do you feel overall?" asked Aurelia. "Any sign of a headache, joint pain, or nausea? How's your connection to the Force?"

"No, no, no, and the connection is fine. And I'm starved."

"Good signs all. I commed your friends Poe and Finn and asked them to stop at a market for something to eat that's more substantial than donuts. They should be here soon."

"Excellent," replied Rey as she headed for the galley. "I'm going to make some tea. Would you like some?"

"That would be lovely dear."

As Rey wandered over to the galley Aurelia spread her cards out on the table again._ A 'Ghealach_ and _Ridire nan Claidheamhan_. The Moon and the Knight of Swords. Who are they? Has she met them yet? And how do they fit in the current direction the Force is taking?

"Bugger," swore Aurelia. "I hate Force mysteries." She glared at the cards as if that would encourage them to yield their secrets.

"Those are pretty," said Rey as she returned from the galley with two cups of tea. "What are they?"

"This is the _Cairtean Etteilla_. I use it occasionally as a meditation and focusing device when something I see in the Force is unclear and I need more clarity."

"May I look at them?"

"Certainly," replied Aurelia. She handed the deck to Rey, leaving the cards she had drawn on the table.'

"I've never seen anything like these before," confessed Rey as she flipped through the cards.

"They are fairly common where I come from. But there aren't many people who use them to tease information out of the Force."

As Rey hands the cards back to Aurelia she feels a gentle pressure in the Force Bond between her and Kylo. She closed her eyes for a moment and focused on the Bond. After a minute or so she smiled and opened her eyes. "Kylo just contacted me through the Bond. He's bringing a friend back to the Ghost."

"Kylo?"

"Yes, Kateria?"

"Are you sure Rey is okay with me coming along?"

"I just talked to her. You're fine."

"I didn't see you get your comm out."

"I don't need a comm to talk to Rey."

"Aye? Must be handy then."

"Sometimes."

"Are we almost there?"

"Just a little farther."

"Good. These boots were not made for walking. They're more of a fashion accessory."

Looking a block or two behind Kylo and Kateria the eye of a casual observer would find itself resting on two men loaded down with a variety of bags and bundles.

"You know, Poe, you could have said 'no' when the doctor lady asked us to bring back food," grumbled Finn. He adjusted the bags hanging from his arms and rearranged the bundle he was carrying.

"I could have," Poe agreed, "but she's a friend of my boss so I wanted to make nice. Besides, I'm hungry."

"I am too, but we could have gotten something to eat back at that casino." countered Finn.

"I didn't want to stay around and watch Kylo Ren play footsie with that floozie, did you?"

"No, no. The further away I am from Kylo Ren the happier I will be."

"Rey! I'm back," called Kylo as he and Kateria walked up the entry ramp.

Rey bounded across the deck, smacking into Kylo and wrapping her arms around him.

"I guess you missed me," he smiled down at her.

"Hey, there kiddo," Kateria grinned as she stepped around them and went further into the ship "You two are adorable."

Rey kissed Kylo thoroughly before she let him go.

"Hi Kateria," she said as she turned toward the redhead. "Kylo said that you were going to be traveling with us for a while."

"Yeah. The short version of the story is I broke up with my girlfriend and she left me here to fend for myself. Got a job as an exotic dancer, saw Kylo, gave him my Bambi eyes and he agreed to let me come along."

Aurelia watched the interchange from the table in the lounge. There was something about Kylo's friend, something the Force is suggesting that she focus on. She's hiding something. Something that Kylo knows but Rey doesn't. It's not something to be concerned about - yet.

She looks down at the cards she drew from the _Cairtean Etteilla_. She may be looking at _A 'Ghealach_, the Moon. She'll meditate on the possible connection later tonight.

"Look, we're almost back to their ship," declared Poe. "We'll drop off the food, we'll eat, we'll get the doctor, and we'll get the hell out of Dodge."

"I thought we were in Worlport."

"It's a figure of speech, Finn."

"Are we going to tell Rey what we saw?"

"Kriff Finn, I don't know."

"Well, figure it out quick. We're here."

The two men walk up the entry ramp and continue on to the galley to deposit their load. As they went by Kylo and Kateria, Finn nudged Poe and nodded slightly towards the redhead.

"Hi Poe, hi Finn. Did you bring us something yummy?" said Rey brightly.

"Yes," answered Finn. "We brought food. Lots of food. All sorts of food. Are you hungry?"

"Starved. Thank you so much!" she bubbled as she gave Finn a quick hug.

"So you have company?" commented Poe as he began to remove savory smelling things from bags and bundles.

"Oh yes. I should have introduced you already. She waved Kat over to the galley. "Kateria Ren, I would like to introduce Poe and Finn Dameron. Poe, Finn, this is Kateria Ren, Kylo's adopted sister."

After a long moment Poe finally says, "Oh, I didn't know he had a sister."

"Effectively my sister," clarified Kylo as he walked into the galley. "We've known each other since we were younglings."

"He's always been a big brother to me," said Kateria brightly.

"Rey, Kat hasn't met Aurelia yet. I'll introduce them," Kylo interjected. He held out an arm to Kateria. She placed her hand on it as Kylo walked her out into the lounge.

As Rey, Finn, and Poe head back into the lounge with full plates Poe murmured in Finn's ear, "Sister, huh. That explains a lot."

"Yep," he whispered back, "and we don't."

After introductions are made Aurelia asks Kylo if she can speak to him for a moment privately.

"Let's go up to the cockpit," he says to her quietly.

When they settle themselves into the pilot and copilot seats Aurelia comes right to the point.

"I'd like to travel with you and Rey for a while longer," she says without preamble. "I believe that the Force has brought me together with you two for a reason. It would be a mistake for me to return to Coruscant at this time."

"Any idea why the Force wants you to travel with us?" asked Kylo.

Aurelia gave him a look. The type of look a teacher gives you when she knows you haven't read the assignment. "That would be too bloody easy."

Kylo smirks. Everyone knows his opinion of the Force.

"Let me touch base with Rey." He closes his eyes for a few minutes, then opens them. "Rey's on board with it."

"Excellent," answers Aurelia. "Please ask Rey to let Poe and Finn know I won't be going back with them to Coruscant with them."

As they stood up Kylo's comm started buzzing. He looked at the screen and muttered "Hells bells, of course he's calling already."

He opens the comm, holds it up to his ear, and barks "Ren here. Yes. No, we haven't talked yet. Yeah, we can meet. Where? Ok, send me the coordinates. Two days? That's doable. It's up to you to convince her. Ok, Ren out."

Aurelia sighed, "We're living in interesting times, aren't we?"

"Yep," replied Kylo, "And apparently have come to the attention of important people."

* * *

Author's note: I really wanted to get a chapter out last week. Silly me, expecting I could squirrel away and write over Christmas week. I have the next two chapters almost done so there may be an extra post or two this weekend. Happy holidays y'all, and Hale and Well Met 2021!


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